


Waves

by Pearlhart



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Eren Yeager, Alpha Erwin Smith, Alpha commands, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, Blood and Violence, Depression, Dubious Consent, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gore, Gun Violence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Minor Character Death, Mutual Pining, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Obsessive Behavior, Omega Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), One-Sided Levi/Erwin Smith, Possessive Behavior, Scent Marking, Slow Burn, Trauma, ereri is endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:54:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 126,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23185837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearlhart/pseuds/Pearlhart
Summary: Fifteen years ago, Trost was devastated by the great Clan Wars that nearly annihilated the entire city. To protect the regular citizens of Trost, the Clans remain in an uneasy ceasefire behind their heavily guarded perimeters. But the clans still move in the shadows, recruiting and kidnapping to bolster their numbers, biding their time for another war- the war that will crown one clan supreme.Levi of the Ackerman clan does not remember a time beyond the perimeters. He is the best at what he does and he fulfills his duty without question- until the day he is introduced to an alpha who brings with him the scent of the ocean.
Relationships: Levi Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 362
Kudos: 512





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've been working on this for quite some time and it is the reason why my other fics have been put on hold for a bit. I've been debating heavily whether I should post it at all, and keep on chickening out... 
> 
> I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, A/B/O with top Eren/bottom Levi, but I couldn't get it out of my head until I wrote it out. So here we are!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music: [The Cage - Vera Sola](https://open.spotify.com/track/2K2mYJv6SOcIiAYHFAqiDO?si=lCFIblFhSEWDSqkqM_KHxA)

**Stage I**

Gasoline

“Fuck you, Kenny!” Levi spat, his claws sharpening and lengthening in aggression while he worked to rein in his temper.

“No thank you, kid,” Kenny replied calmly, leaning back in his leather holstered chair and crossing his long, lean legs. “And you better stop wasting my time and start doing your job- which _is_ fucking, last time I checked.”

Levi gritted his teeth. His pointed and keen ears picked up the minute shuffling of the two people standing by the door. They were restless thanks to the scents emitted from the alpha and the omega, the top and the bottom, of their clan. The two most powerful people butting heads again and releasing angry and confusing pheromones.

“Just get one of the other omegas to do it,” Levi insisted, clamping down on his temper. The discomposure was just making Kenny angrier, which in turn made Levi more uncomfortable and it became a vicious cycle.

“This one is an important addition to our clan, Levi,” Kenny revealed and leaned forward again, looking Levi directly in the eye. Beady grey meeting stormy silver. “He's a strong alpha from the Smith Clan and I want him. I won't trust his recruitment to anyone else but you.”

“How do you even know if he'll let himself get recruited?” Levi inquired, knowing that his resolve was already crumbling. A Clan Alpha's command, and from his own blood to boot, was undeniable. “I've heard that the Smith pups are some stubborn assholes.”

“You've had a hundred percent recruitment rate so far,” Kenny smiled, as if it was his own personal victory. And in a way Levi supposed that it was. A Clan Alpha owned the clan and everyone in it, so by default anything his omegas did were his own achievements.

Then Kenny uttered the command, “y _ou will do it, Levi._ ”

Levi felt hot blood pound in his temple as he resisted it, his heart beating heavily in his chest. It was a losing battle, he knew, but it was the principle of the matter. Kenny was his blood and a powerful alpha, he could speak in a whisper and it would be enough to make Levi bend his neck. He resisted as long as physically possible, until sweat dampened his temples and his jaw crunched under the strain. Kenny had been the one to raise him and didn't expect Levi to prostrate himself for anyone. But he _did_ expect him to do his duty for the clan.

“Very well,” Levi conceded with a defeated sigh and got up from his chair. The burning in his veins receded, but a poorly suppressed anger bubbled in him and the gloating scent of victory coming from Kenny wasn't helping any. Neither were the two dopes by the door, so obviously worked up by seeing the omega put in his place.

With a growl, Levi picked up the chair he just vacated and hurled it at them, hitting one of the brutes across the head with a leg and scattering the other. It wasn't a fight Levi was going to win, but fuck was he going to enjoy releasing some of his frustration. Without effort he closed the gap and shoved a knee into a groin before slamming a fist into a nose. Their blood smelt better than their dank alpha scent, that was for sure.

Kenny let Levi release his anger on them for a while, their pathetic resistance not being much of a challenge as Levi reduced them to whimpering piles of flesh. Eventually Kenny had had enough and Levi felt the alpha's claws tighten around his neck before he was slammed into the wall, knocking the air out of him.

“ _Enough_ ,” Kenny commanded with a growl low in his throat. The fight left Levi immediately and he turned pliant in his uncle's grasp. “Now you really owe me this new alpha, having kicked the shit outta two of my finest.”

“They were pathetic and you know it,” Levi panted, the air still not reaching his lungs properly.

“Even more reason for you to make sure this one sticks.”

His uncle was right. Their recent additions to the clan had all been worthless piles of crap. Alphas not worthy of the name, betas that merely took up space and food and omegas that whimpered the second you looked at them. The Ackerman Clan had seen better days and Kenny was hard at work to rebuild it. It was a precarious situation. If word got out that they were desperate to recruit strong and capable alphas it would only be a matter of time before the other clans realised that they were easy prey. There hadn't been an all-out turf war in Shiganshina in quite some time and the clan leaders were all chomping at the bits to expand their territories. Levi had accosted an alpha snooping about their perimeter not too long ago that turned out to have been from the Pixis Clan. He had made short work of him, but both Kenny and Levi understood that this was just the beginning of something that could turn nasty.

Kenny released his grip, but Levi remained standing where he had been left, still fuming but submitting.

“Kuchel would have flayed you alive for your insubordination,” Kenny sighed as he picked up the chair and placed it the right way up again.

“Kuchel is dead,” Levi reminded him. What was the point of reminiscing someone who couldn't help them anymore?

“Just get the fuck out of here and do your job, brat,” Kenny spat, pointing at the door.

Levi left without another word.

Retreating to his own rooms, Levi went through the motions of preparing for his newly appointed recruitment job on autopilot. Unenthused and disinterested, he knew he was half-assing the job, but he couldn't summon up the energy to care. Besides, the alpha had just been caught, there was no real hurry.

By the time Levi was done it was already dark out. Kenny's deep bunkers always left Levi disoriented as to what time in the day it was. The old, leathery alpha was a paranoid fucker and most of the buildings were located underground. The housing on their turf functioned more as decoy than anything else, storing vehicles and fuel for the generators rather than people. It likened a military base more than an actual clan village according to those who joined from the outside, and it suited a certain alpha frame of mind quite well, apparently, because they didn't have a short supply of those sniffing at their doors. But the good ones, the alphas that were worth keeping around, they rarely came to Kenny's gates willingly.

Like the one Levi was headed for now. An alpha from the Smith Clan, which was surprising in itself, and powerful enough for Kenny to ask for Levi's intervention in his recruitment. The last three alphas Kenny had asked Levi to supervise had ended up dead by the hand of the omega. Levi had a much higher standard than Kenny, that was for sure, and he certainly had no patience for shitstains.

“Hey! Big bro!” an excited voice called and Levi was pulled out of his musings to see Isabel skipping across the yard. Hot on her pursuit was Furlan, as usual. The the dusty haired alpha and redheaded omega stopped in front of him, Isabel giving him a mock salute while Furlan merely grinned.

“What are you stalking around looking murderous for today, Levi?” Furlan inquired, placing a hand on Isabel's shoulder. Levi appreciated these seemingly idle gestures of Furlan. They might not appear like much, and Isabel merely smiled looking unconcerned, but Levi knew how important they were in keeping the less savoury alphas at bay. Furlan's scent was strong, and he had long since made himself respected by the other inhabitants of the Ackerman Clan.

“I have work,” Levi replied shortly. He wasn't going to tell them any more than that, but he didn't really have to. Isabel's bright expression fell slightly and Furlan's brows pulled together.

“Alright, Levi,” Furlan ground out between clenched teeth.

Knowing that Levi was headed for another alpha grated on Furlan's nerves and the scent of stale tobacco permeated the air. Isabel instantly reacted to it with her own rose scent, questioning and hesitant in the atmosphere that was quickly turning sour. Clutching a bit tighter on Isabel's shoulder, Furlan turned them around and they hurried in the opposite direction towards whatever it was they had initially come above ground to do. Probably to look at the stars in the new telescope, if Levi knew Isabel at all.

With their scents fresh in his nose, Levi stalked towards the furthest building and entered it. An alpha was standing guard and sneered at him before remembering herself and stood to attention.

“The alpha is chained and restrained, Mister Ackerman,” she informed him as she opened the door. “This guy is a hell of a motherfucker though, he managed to take down most of the squad before they thumped him on the head.”

Levi gave her a curt nod of understanding before they descended into the bowels of their compound. He couldn't place a name on her and didn't really remember her scent very well, either, but it was familiar enough for him to know that she belonged to the clan. Earthy scents of bark and grass and wood permeated their turf, and anyone living there eventually took on a hint of it in whatever way suited their natural flavour. Isabel had exclaimed more than once that Levi smelled like moss, though Furlan insisted with a teasing tone that it was more like fungus. Whatever it was, Levi knew it belonged to the shadows of the forest, but he didn't really care one way or another. It had yet to deter any alpha, and that was really the only important part.

Kenny hadn't been lying this time around: this was one powerful alpha. Levi could smell him even before he was down the last set of stairs. The long corridor stretched before him, the industrial lights blinking slightly with the currents to the generators being moved by the winds as they blew in strong from the sea. A storm had been brewing for some time and Levi wondered if Isabel and Furlan would even be able to see any of their stars tonight. The thought of them grounded him and he held onto it as he walked towards the far door.

Salt. The captured alpha had the scent of salt. It took a while for Levi to recognize it but the imagery finally placed itself in his mind. It was that of the ocean, but the disturbance leaned towards brackish water rather than the open sea. This alpha was confused and angry and quite certainly in a rut which was never a good combination. The guard must have had a similar train of thought because she hesitated in front of the door before she spoke up again.

“He was already starting his rut when they jumped him, apparently,” she warned him, “my guess is that the fight tipped him all the way over.” Levi merely grunted in reply.

One day Kenny would lose his best omega, Levi thought impassively as he waited for the guard to unlock the door. It groaned on its hinges, heavy with reinforced metal. There was a small window to allow vision in, but Levi didn't bother looking. The guard didn't need to see him strain on his toes in order to reach the window.

When the door opened fully the smell really hit them both in the face. The guard had to physically hold herself back from reacting to it, her teeth barred and her eyes shining golden as she took a hesitant step back. She gave him a look that told Levi everything he needed to know: she wouldn't be able to let him go into that room without a fight. With easy grace, Levi stepped around her fumbling attempts of restraining him and closed the door decidedly behind himself.

The room he entered was small, a barren cell with nothing but hard concrete, a pitiful military bed with a felt blanket and a toilet for relief if the need was dire. The alpha sat chained and secured to the far wall. The nearly animalistic snarling had Levi's hackles raise up on instinct and he hesitated. Levi hadn't come this far by underestimating anyone, least of all a rutting alpha.

Closing his eyes, Levi inhaled deeply and tried to learn what he could of this newly caught alpha. The hormones were wreaking havoc on him, but he was healthy and strong, that much was certain. His eyes had already turned red, signalling the rage-induced rut taking over his mind and instincts. The physical size of the alpha was enhanced with muscles bulging ready for combat, though Levi suspected that this wasn't as big as the alpha could get.

The human mind in the alpha had disappeared, replaced by pure instinct. Sweaty and tanned skin broke through the thin fabric of his shirt as he strained violently against his bonds. Long, dark hair obscured his face, only revealing the burning, red eyes and flashing fangs. The alpha's gaze didn't leave Levi for a moment, his nose working his scent hungrily.

Levi licked his lips despite himself. A powerful alpha. Perhaps this one had what it took.

The chained alpha appeared young, perhaps in his early or mid twenties, which was usually a good age for recruitment. It was natural for an alpha to seek new turf and leave his home clan to stretch his wings, so to speak. If their squad had managed to jump and subdue this alpha he must have been outside his own clan perimeter and alone. Levi didn't know too much about the Smith clan except that it was one of the largest in Trost in regards to number, monetary value and turf. Recruiting one of their alphas would be a victory indeed.

Rolling his shoulders, Levi willed himself to relax before he reached a hand towards the chained alpha, prepared to jump back in case he snapped instead of sniffed. But the alpha ignored the hand completely, his eyes locked on Levi's face.

Hunching down so that they were on eye level, Levi used the ignored hand and threaded it through the bound alpha's hair, pulling his head back slightly.

“Don't know if you want to kill me or fuck me, huh?” Levi asked, his voice breaking whatever stupor the alpha had been in.

In a powerful surge, the alpha lunged forward and the bolts fastening him to the concrete wall cracked precariously. Levi wondered detached whether the bonds would hold, though he felt no fear when the alpha leaned in only inches from his face. Hot breath brushed over Levi's skin as the alpha panted with pent up need and frustration. It had been a long time since Levi felt anything besides anger or quiet apathy, yet something in the pit of his stomach squirmed when he inhaled the musky and briny scent.

After a moment Levi recognized the sensation as excitement. It was dull, but it was there. _Interesting_.

The alpha's dark brows were drawn into a scowl, his fangs extended fully and nearly biting his own bottom lip as he growled. The sound was deep and rumbling in his chest, threatening, but Levi didn't mind it as he sat gazing at the stranger in silent study.

“I wonder what your other clan is like?” Levi asked, though he didn't expect any reply. There was no man left in the alpha, only animal instinct. Yet something sparked in the red gaze when Levi spoke that nearly appeared intelligent.

He noted it passively.

“My name is Levi,” he told the alpha, this time watching the red eyes carefully. It didn't seem like there was an understanding of the actual words themselves, but the alpha was definitely reacting to his voice. Red gaze flickered from Levi's eyes and down to his mouth and back up again.

There, behind the raging hormones, was a very angry and confused young man, chained to a wall and helpless to his own dynamic instincts. Bile rose suddenly in Levi's throat. He'd done this job before, _oh_ _so_ many times. It was his duty to the clan. He had done it without questioning, feeling indebted to Kenny for taking him in and giving him strength in a world were omegas didn't have much of anything. But lately he had grown tired of it and Levi found he wasn't in the least bit interested in binding this alpha to him. To have him slobbering around like the rest of the goons in the hopes that they had another shot at claiming him.

Fuck it. Kenny could do his own nasty work.

The mere idea of disobeying a direct command from his alpha had sweat beading on Levi's forehead with nearly unbearable heat surging under his skin. Gritting his teeth with the pain, Levi managed to stand up on slightly shaking legs. It took even longer to manipulate himself into turning his back to the alpha and make his way over to the door to signal for the guard to open it.

But he didn't make it to the door.

The crack of concrete giving out was the only warning Levi got before a heavy body fell on top of him, crashing them both to the floor and the growling nearly deafened him in its intensity.

Instincts were taking over and the skin on the sensitive areas around Levi's neck, lymphs and main bloodvessels turned into glistening, black scales. The powerful jaws of the alpha bit down on his neck only to slip off and lose any purchase on the now hard surface. With a frustrated howl, the alpha turned Levi around like he weighed nothing at all and slammed him down on the hard floor once again, knocking the air out of him.

Once the pitch in Levi's ears stilled and he regained his breath, Levi used the moment the alpha gave him as he was busy sniffing curiously at Levi's neck to reinforce the scales. The alpha's elongated and sharply pointed ears twitched in curiosity as he again tried to place his claiming bite, but was once again hindered in his endeavour.

“First time with a fighting omega, I take it?” Levi said, more as an observation than an actual question. His voice caught the alpha's attention, who moved from Levi's neck to sniff at his mouth instead.

Levi had thought there were few things that could surprise him any more, but when the alpha darted out a bloodred tongue and licked his mouth and face, Levi's breath hitched and he stared up at the much larger alpha above him.

“What the fuck?” Levi breathed in stunned wonder, only to receive another lick.

The briny smell was giving way to something lighter and less pungent, easing the pressure in the room. Levi didn't know if he was just getting used to it or if the alpha was changing it in response to something. The alpha pinning Levi to the floor was lost to instinct and could just as easily choose to snap Levi's neck if he was unable to mark the omega. With years of practised self-discipline, Levi managed to relax his muscles and breathe evenly, his scent softening to match that of the alpha. The low rumbling sound from the alpha's chest quieted, and he seemed appeased to have Levi lying unresisting underneath him as he kept sniffing Levi's hair, mouth and neck.

As the alpha dipped down lower to inspect the rest of his body, Levi threw his mind back trying to remember another instance quite this peculiar. He couldn't. Rage-induced and rutting alphas didn't sniff, they didn't lick, they didn't take their time inspecting anything. Either they killed or they fucked. Usually they did both.

A low growl informed Levi that something had upset the alpha. Levi didn't have time to react to it before sharp claws dug into the fabric of his shirt and ripped it apart with buttons flying everywhere.

“That was my favourite shirt, you dipshit,” Levi chided the alpha, slapping him lightly across the head in indignation. The alpha ignored him in favour of letting his warm tongue lick across the newly revealed skin of Levi's stomach.

Suppressing a shudder at the oddly intimate gesture from this wild beast, Levi eyed the door. They wouldn't help him out of there. This was his job and that door would remain locked until it was done or the alpha threatened to take Levi's life.

Threading his hands through the alpha's dark hair, Levi let the soft strands fall through his fingers. If he could recruit this one, then maybe he didn't have to give him up? Though it would be a cold day in hell before Kenny allowed Levi that kind of autonomy. He was worth so much more to the clan as an unmarked, fighting omega after all. Letting his hands fall idly by his sides again, Levi mentally wrapped the tiny wish up and shoved it to the back of his mind. It wouldn't happen.

Levi would do as he had been commanded: he'd let the alpha spend his rut on him, forcing the man to stay with the Ackerman Clan either through a misguided sense of guilt or alpha chivalry. It tended to work. If it didn't, Levi would kill him.

That was how it had always been and that was how it would remain.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trapped in a cell with an unfamiliar alpha, Levi ends up making some unexpected choices and bonds are broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who has encouraged me to continue with this story. I appreciate it a lot and you're all very kind ❤️
> 
> **Vocabulary:**  
>  No dym or no dyms = no dynamics, normal citizens of Trost who are born without dynamic DNA and the powers and restrictions that come with it.
> 
> Music: [Arsonist's Lullabye - Hozier](https://open.spotify.com/track/7lpmIGFw7Kc9qIdq4cGs34?si=VX0maMdoQzeOfW3LrWwD-A)

The dull throb of pain in Levi's lower abdomen was a familiar one, though the large alpha holding him in a vice like grip was not. The scent of sea salt enveloped Levi to such a degree he half expected to hear the sound of seagulls and the lapping of waves.

The alpha had calmed down after a while, having spent himself three times the past few hours, though Levi had lost any sense of time. It wasn't a whole lot considering the alpha was in a rut, but he seemed more concerned with just holding Levi close for the time being. The bed they were lying on creaked dangerously as the massive alpha stretched out and jostled Levi a bit to find a comfortable position. It was a fruitless endeavour, but lethargy had taken over the both of them after the long night.

The protective instincts in this alpha had to be through the roof, Levi mused as the alpha carefully draped the one blanket on the bed over the omega. The absurdity of it was almost laughable. Almost. There was barely room for the giant alpha on the military bed, let alone Levi as well, but that didn't seem to concern him much. He merely held Levi closer as he drifted off to sleep.

Joints aching, bruises throbbing and with the very uncomfortable sensation of semen leaking out of him, Levi doubted he'd be able to sleep despite the exhaustion muddling his mind. He was lying half draped over the alpha's chest, nudged in between him and the wall like something precious that had to be protected. The broad chest underneath Levi's head rose and fell slowly with deep sleep and despite everything, Levi felt his own eyes grow heavy. With a small sigh of relief he let his mind fall into darkness, removing him from his aching body.

An unknown time later, Levi's burning eyes opened a fraction and he tried to gather his wits. He'd had a dream he couldn't quite recall, though he knew his mother had been in it.

Wriggling slightly, Levi tried to pry himself loose of the strong grasp without waking the other. The alpha's temperature was abnormally hot, even for someone in a rut, and the felt blanket now draped over Levi wasn't exactly helping. With his shirt torn off and his jeans discarded somewhere, Levi felt the alpha's burning skin against his own and sweat trickled down his back and slicked his already damp hair to his temples. Levi desperately needed a shower.

The smell of sex and musk intermingled with the saltiness of the alpha tickled Levi's sensitive nose until he had to sneeze. The sharp sound had the alpha's eyes open sluggishly, forcing himself awake through an exhausted haze. Most of the glowing redness of his eyes had dulled, leaving behind a muddy, greenish tint that was difficult to discern in the half-dark of the cell. The clearing of the hazy eyes, the lighter note in the overpowering scent and the decrease of his sheer size were all indicators that the rut was already seeping out of the alpha. It had burned like a small inferno and was now snuffed out with lack of fuel.

The stranger peered around himself in confusion before his gaze landed on Levi who was still trapped to him in a bruising grasp. Several seconds ticked by before some understanding of what was happening seemed to dawn on the other man and he hesitantly let go, allowing for Levi to sit up.

“Where am I?” the stranger asked in a hoarse whisper, sitting up as well and making the bed dip with his weight. “Who are you?”

“Well, as I've already told you, my name is Levi,” Levi reintroduced himself. Even if the glow of rut was gone from the stranger's eyes he could not be trusted. There was no telling how he would react to what had happened to him. What he had been made to do.

Before Levi answered any more questions he opted to get up from the bed, slowly with his hands visible, to locate his jeans. Bending over to put them on had Levi nearly gasp with the waves of pain that washed over him, but he managed to school his face into passivity. Any show of weakness could urge the alpha into action. And while Levi could fight the alpha now that he was out of his rut, he rather not do so in the nude.

A soft gasp behind him had Levi turn around, finding the stranger's gaze flickering between the myriad of bruises, scrapes and bite marks that he had left on Levi's body. The omegan scales had long since retracted into smooth, pale skin again. Keeping them up demanded a lot of energy that Levi simply couldn't afford to spend if he had to fight later. Thankfully the alpha had not tried to claim him with a mating mark again after the first failed attempts, and had merely nibbled on him when he grew impatient with Levi's lack of reaction to their intimacy.

“What the _fuck_ happened?” the stranger questioned again, his voice still raw, but deeper and more demanding.

With a shiver running down his spine, Levi let the air out of his lungs slowly while he picked up his mangled shirt and put it on. There wasn't really any point to it since it was too far gone, but at least it made him feel marginally more dressed.

“Exactly what you think happened, happened,” Levi muttered without turning around.

Now where were his shoes? And would he have to kill this alpha? Levi considered these two questions with equal amount of emotion.

The creaking of the bed signalled that the alpha had gotten up and Levi watched him warily as he pulled up his own jeans and did the buttons with shaking hands.

“Say kid,” Levi began before hesitating. Did he even want the answer to the question he was about to ask? He asked anyway, “what is your name?”

The stranger stared at him for a while, his face carefully blank though his eyes revealed him: fear, shock, disgust, anger. Most of them emotions Levi had taught himself to forget long ago.

“Eren,” the man replied at length, “my name is Eren.”

Eren, then.

“You... I didn't-” Eren reached out a hand towards Levi, but retracted it instantly and vaguely gesticulated at the nape of his own neck instead, the shackles around his wrists clinking.

“No, I'm not marked,” Levi revealed and wondered if honesty was the best course of action. He could have used the uncertainty as leverage.

Levi didn't know the _man_ Eren, but he had just spent a night with the alpha who had been both decisive and protective. Perhaps the alpha would have stuck around if he thought there was a chance he had claimed Levi somehow. Though to what ends?

Something was niggling at the back of Levi's mind and his stomach was churning. He felt thin, stretched out, like he was at the edge of his tether. Exhausted.

What he needed was a long, hot shower and a strong cup of tea.

“You haven't told me where this is, though,” Eren reminded Levi and sat down heavily on the bed again, elbows resting on his knees with his head in his hands. “All I can remember is that I was walking home from university when I got attacked. I thought they were just some _no dym_ muggers, idiots who didn't realise what they were fucking with...”

Levi weighed the pros and cons and after some considerations, chose to answer honestly, “you're on the Ackerman turf.”

There was no point in lying, he decided. Eren would never be loyal to the clan, either way. He'd possibly stick around if Levi asked him to, but it would be a precarious situation. This alpha would most likely challenge Kenny the first chance he got and get his intestines shoved down his own throat for his efforts.

“So... what? Am I _kidnapped_?” Eren asked incredulously and peered up at Levi through the strands of his sweaty hair. Levi shrugged.

“In a way, I suppose yes. You can call it kidnapping or recruitment, I don't care.”

“Recruitment?!” Eren exclaimed and jumped up from the bed again. He started pacing back and forth in the small room allotted to them, pulling at his hair and clothes. Levi watched him impassively. “You do this a lot do you? This “recruitment”?”

Again Levi shrugged, but Eren wasn't watching him so he replied, “for quite a few years.”

“And it works? Taking alphas and having them ra- ...ra-,” Eren couldn't finish the word. It got stuck in his throat as he struggled with it, the mortification at the extent of what he was trying to digest silencing him. He took a long, rattling breath and tried again, “to have them force themselves on you?”

“It works surprisingly well,” Levi replied coolly. This conversation was becoming uncomfortable and it was time to end it. “Usually the alphas we have here don't tend to second guess their fortunes, so to speak.”

Eren's shoulders stiffened, but he turned around regardless and closed the small distance between them and looked down on Levi. The alpha was not only broad, but also quite tall even in his normal size, Levi noted, and met his gaze steadily. What he saw in Eren's face would have stunned him if he hadn't already distanced himself sufficiently to remain level-headed. There was utter despair in those greenish eyes, nothing but regret and repulsion.

Levi had been right; they shouldn't have tried to recruit someone from the Smith clan. Stubborn, prideful assholes.

“You can't possibly believe I'd ever want this,” Eren told him in a broken whisper, “that I'd ever want to wake up and see- to know that I- that I have done this to you. To anyone.”

“Technically _you_ haven't done anything to me yet,” Levi offered. For some reason he felt the need to calm the alpha, even though he wasn't displaying any aggression. Only grief and agitation. “I am pretty certain you would have made different choices if you had all your faculties.”

And that was the very reason Levi hadn't wanted to partake in this to begin with. This alpha wasn't of the usual ilk they collected and it was all bubbling right under Levi's skin, it was becoming too much. The carefully sealed box of emotions was starting to crack. Levi rubbed furiously at his face, struggling to push his thoughts back and down. Just give him some tea, let him clean up... he'd feel so much better then.

“This is fucked up,” Eren stated the obvious.

Turning around, Levi walked up to the door and stood on tip-toes peering out through the small window. It was completely deserted out there with even the guard having left for some business or another. Without expecting much, Levi tried the door, but wasn't in the least bit surprised to find it locked. Kenny was angry with him for his insubordination then, and this was his punishment. The familiar anger surged in him and with impotent rage Levi began banging at the metal door, bruising his hand and arm without any result.

“Fuck,” he growled at the door, fully aware that he was losing control of his anger while stuck in a room together with an agitated and unfamiliar alpha. Threading his hands through his hair, Levi tugged at it lightly before bumping his forehead against the door dejectedly. It was cool against his heated skin.

He knew what he should be doing. He should direct the anger on the alpha. Kill him before Kenny was forced to do so. That would put Levi in his good graces again.

Levi leaned further against the door, relishing the cool metal against his bare chest.

“What happens now?” Eren asked quietly behind him. Levi turned his head to peer at the alpha over his shoulder and found him sitting with his head bent low on the bed.

“Well...” Levi drawled, “either you get recruited or I kill you. I think we both know which one it is going to be.”

Eren's sorrowful eyes sharpened, his ears perking at the threat. “ _You_ killing _me_?” Eren asked incredulous, “last time I checked I am an alpha and you're an omega.” He sniffed the air ostentatiously to prove his point, a humourless sneer revealing a fang.

Levi scoffed at him and turned around, leaning his back against the door and folding his arms across his chest, “I've killed bigger brutes than you, kid.”

Not much bigger, granted, but Levi had not been idle with their time together, he knew Eren's weak spots well enough.

Eren remained seated. Levi remained leaning against the door. Neither of them made a move and the time ticked by slowly as they regarded each other.

They were startled out of their mutual scrutiny by several pairs of footsteps echoing down the hall outside their cell. The alpha's muscles went taut and his expression hard. Levi scented the briny tang again, so thick in the still air that he could nearly taste it, and it had his hackles raise in response.

A key turned in the lock and Levi moved away from the door and over to where the concrete wall was cracked after Eren had ripped his chains out. The anger and frustration that had surged through Levi was far from gone. It had turned hard and cold, like shards of broken glass.

The door opened and three people entered. None of them seemed in the least bit surprised to find Eren free of his chains. Traute Caven surveyed the small room, her calculating eyes moving from Levi by the wall and over to Eren at the bed. Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the strong smell of foreign alpha, her own wafting up in response. It smelled like wooden kindling, a scent Levi didn't find all together unpleasant despite hating the woman herself.

The two betas that had followed her, some new recruits that Levi hadn't bothered to learn the names of, shifted uncomfortably when Eren rose to his full height. Despite having just left a rut, Eren had enough energy to summon his greater alpha size and though Traute was no small alpha herself, she looked like a girl next to Eren as he loomed over them.

“You did not finish your job, _omega_ ,” Traute commented with a dismissive click of her tongue. “No matter, I'll clean up your sloppy work like always.”

It really rubbed Traute the wrong way that Levi had better claim on the Ackerman clan than her thanks to his blood relation to Kenny, even despite being an omega. Traute must have been on the surveillance team for this recruitment considering she had come armed and with back up expecting a fight. She had in other words been fully aware that Eren had broken free of his chains before Levi was prepared for the ensuing events. Her job was to protect him, but she must have hoped that the alpha would finish him off, once and for all. Unfortunately for Traute, Eren didn't seem like the type of alpha who played by the standard rules.

The susurrus of exhilarated adrenaline stilled in his ears and an otherworldly silence fell over Levi. Clarity followed.

Quietly, Levi moved towards the door and shut it. When the click of the lock echoed through the suddenly silent room he allowed a smile of his own, but there was no humour in it.

It took less than a minute.

Eren grabbed the head of one beta in a powerful hand and crushed it against the concrete wall like an egg. Traute reacted quickly and pulled out her gun, but before she had time to fully release the safety lock, Eren was already twisting the second beta's spine.

With a sharp jab to Traute's wrist, Levi broke it and easily wrestled the gun from her limp hand. Traute didn't have time to scream in pain before he pointed the gun at her temple and pulled the trigger.

The only sounds left in the room after the deafening gunshot was Eren's aggravated panting and the bubbling breath of one of the betas.

Levi stared down on Traute's corpse, Kenny's second in command and mate. He was fucked. Royally fucked.

“We need to get out of here,” Levi informed Eren curtly as he bent down and unloaded Traute of her belt and bullets. He found the keys to Eren's chains in her pockets and handed those over as well.

“You're coming with me?” Eren questioned breathlessly as he struggled with the manacles on his chafed wrists. Eren didn't look tired or exhausted physically, but Levi supposed he hadn't had many chances to kill someone before and the accumulated traumatic events were wearing on him.

“Yeah,” Levi nodded and began unbuttoning Traute's shirt. It was the cleanest one of the three despite the blood splatter from her crushed skull. “My alpha is going to kill me.”

“You could just say I killed them all,” Eren suggested, letting the chains fall to the floor with a satisfied grunt.

“Nope,” Levi declared and pointed at the ceiling. Eren looked up to where he was indicating and hitched a breath in surprise when he discovered the camera pointing right at them.

“They- they've been watching this entire time?”

“Yeah,” Levi muttered again and replaced his old tattered shirt with Traute's. “How else are they going to make sure you're not ripping my throat out? Now hurry the fuck up.”

Eren didn't have to be told twice.

There were no guards left in the bunker, probably having assumed Traute and her small delegation enough to deal with Eren. They made it up to the surface without any incident and stopped to survey the area.

The sun was already up, surprising Levi yet again. It hadn't felt like quite so much time had passed, but the area was quiet in the early dawn light. Either they were taking their sweet time calling the alarm or then Traute had left the surveillance room unattended. That suited Levi just fine.

Jerking his chin, Levi mutely told Eren to follow him around the back of the abandoned building they had emerged from. They could brute-force their way out the front gates, but that would just delay them and result in too much attention. Levi knew all the nooks and crannies of this turf like the back of his hand.

Keeping to the shadows of the dilapidating buildings, Levi and Eren peaked their ears and flared their noses on high alert for anyone following them. The feeling of imminent danger had scales hardening on Levi's skin. It was unfortunate, draining energy he wanted to conserve, but there was little he could do about it.

The sound of Eren sucking in a breath of surprise reminded Levi of the alpha's curiosity the first time he'd seen the scales. What type of clan was the Smiths if an alpha like Eren had never had a reason to encounter the omegan self defence before? It had been a long time since Levi held any real curiosity of the outside world, but as they neared the fence of the perimeter it sparked a muted glow in him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Eren was still holding the remaining piece of nugget between thumb and index finger, a slight quirk of his mouth being the first genuine look of humour on his face since they first met._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music: [Numbers - Daughter](https://open.spotify.com/track/66WrtqeVGMdMJcNF9C2EQ1?si=eVGbgPMlScesKPUJvBrVNA)

The escape from the Ackerman turf was anticlimactic. They had simply crawled through the small hole in the fence and walked away. There was no shouting, no one trying to chase after them, no guns blasting. Nothing. Levi just turned his back to the compound he had been shut inside for the past fifteen years and headed into the city.

Eren was blessedly quiet as they walked, trailing down streets Levi didn't recognize seemingly at random. Though they didn't speak, Levi's mind was working furiously. He was without a clan and he doubted very much he could return without seeing severe consequences. Quite possibly his actions would cause rippling effects through the clan and catch Isabel and Furlan in the crossfire. But Levi was without money and without protection in a world of _no dyms_. He was vaguely aware that there existed something called half-way houses; households not operated by clans, but consisting of unaffiliated dynamics. Perhaps he could find one of those, though the problem of him being piss broke still persisted.

“So, what-” Eren began, but Levi shushed him, barely noting the look of confusion on the alpha's face at the brusque censure from the omega. The scent of the sea reached Levi's nose and he shook his head irritably.

“I need to think,” he elaborated, “I need to figure out what the fuck to do now.”

“Alright, that's fair,” Eren relented, “ but can we do the thinking while we're eating because I am fucking _starving_. You psychos didn't feed me at all.”

Levi looked over at the diner Eren was pointing at as a possible place for them to find some food. It didn't seem like they were pursued and Levi supposed it couldn't hurt to refuel.

“I don't have any money,” he admitted.

“How can you not have any money?” Eren asked incredulously, once again, as they made their way across the nearly empty parking lot.

It was still early and Levi wondered whether the diner would even be open at the asscrack of dawn. But when they neared the building, Levi could see people milling around in there. Eren opened the door for him and they headed inside, the warmth and smell of fried food and strong coffee welcoming them.

“What would I need money for?” Levi wondered. “It's not like I have to pay for the food or clothes at the compound and I wasn't exactly planning to run away.”

“I guess,” Eren conceded, “though money can come in handy if you just want to have a milkshake on the way home or you get hungry at uni or whatever.”

Levi didn't want to admit to this guy that he had never gone to school besides primary and a bit of middle school, much less higher education such as the university. Or that moving outside the Ackerman turf had been strictly forbidden to him since Kuchel died. The idea that he'd ever get to grab a milkshake on the way home is laughable at best. Somehow Levi didn't think Eren would understand, the carelessness in which he moved through the city of _no dyms_ testifying to a level of freedom Levi can't even remember.

They settled down in a booth and a middled aged _no dym_ with a friendly “good morning” handed them their menus.

“Coffee for the both of you?” she asked brightly and turned around almost before they'd had the chance to answer, certain in their positive reply.

Eren was rummaging around in his jeans pocket and eventually produced a handful of tattered notes.

“They took my wallet and phone, but they didn't really bother with anything else, thankfully,” he sighed and counted the notes.

It was disconcerting how utterly at home Eren seemed to be in the diner, as if the smell of strangers and unfamiliar sounds didn't affect him whatsoever. Leaning back in the threadbare seat, Levi breathed slowly in and out through his nose as he carefully took in his surroundings. The low lights above the bar, the sounds of the coffee machine, the people talking, the smell of food being made. There weren't all that many guests, just a few guys eating their breakfast and browsing their phones, yet it was all very unfamiliar and, though Levi didn't want to admit it, slightly overwhelming.

The impressions sparked a dim memory of coming to a similar place with Kuchel years and years ago when he was a kid. What had they always ordered again? Levi nearly smiled when he remembered.

The waitress returned with two white mugs full of steaming, black coffee. “Creamer is in this jug here,” she informed them as she placed it down, “and then there's sugar and whatever else already on the table. Now, can I have your order?”

“Yeah, gosh I am hungry,” Eren said and smiled widely up at her, red lips pulling back to reveal sharpened canines. Levi noted that the woman flushed slightly as he did so. “I want two double cheese burgers, a large order of fries, a large coke and the largest order of chicken nuggets that you can give me.”

“All right, honey, been a long night I take it?” she smiled indulgently and looked between the two of them. A hardened edge entered her eyes as they raked over Levi, but her smile didn't falter. “What about you, sweetie?” she simply asked.

Levi bristled at being called sweetie, but he needed sustenance and was not about to fuck up the only source of food he had access to at the moment.

“Strawberry milkshake and a large order of fries,” Levi said. He couldn't remember what that tasted like anymore, but Kuchel had ordered it for him when he was a kid and he had loved it then. The waitress' smile, her name being Desiree the name tag informed him, warmed slightly before she headed back to the kitchen. She hadn't written anything down, but Levi assumed she knew what she was doing.

“I gotta pee,” Eren declared and got up.

It reminded Levi that he really, _really_ needed to go as well, but he was uncertain whether the cleanliness, or lack thereof, wouldn't just squick him out even more. At least there would be soap and water in there, if nothing else.

Levi was daydreaming about soap as he carefully sipped his steaming coffee, no cream or sugar, when Desiree reappeared at their table with Levi's part of the order. The milkshake was topped with whipped cream and a cherry and Desiree placed a piece of chocolate cake next to his fries as well.

“On the house,” she declared warmly at Levi's look of confusion before her smile dropped. Glancing surreptitiously over her shoulder, Desiree made sure no one overheard them before she returned her attention to Levi.

“Now, I know this isn't any of my business, and you'll probably be angry with me for doing this, but my best friend was an omega and got in some real tight trouble,” Desiree whispered and pulled out a folded piece of paper which she shoved over the tabletop towards Levi.

“I speak of her in past tense because she didn't get out of said trouble in time...” Desiree cleared her throat uncomfortably before continuing, “you got my number on that piece of paper, as well as the number of a good cop I know named Hannes. He's regular like me, so he's neutral, alright? He'll help you if you need it.”

Levi's initial desire was to toss the note right back at her and tell her to shove her “help” right up her ass, but reconsidered quickly. Despite her less than agreeable use of “regular” as a term for _no dym_ , he _had_ just been wrecking his brain trying to figure out how to survive clanless in a city he no longer knew. Here a woman was literally reaching out a helping hand to him, though his situation wasn't exactly what she was assuming. With a small nod, Levi took the folded paper and placed it under his plate. That seemed to appease Desiree and her warm smile was back, full force, just in time for Eren to shimmy back into his seat. Her eyes turned cold as she looked at him and he wilted slightly under her scrutiny.

When she disappeared to host one of the other tables, Eren leaned over slightly and whispered, “did I do something wrong?”

Levi shrugged. “She gave me a number to a cop assuming you're abusing me, I think.” He held the note up before tucking it into his pocket.

“Ah,” Eren breathed, his expression souring slightly, “ _no dyms_ always assume alphas are abusive assholes, especially to omegas.”

“Aren't they?” Levi shot back tonelessly before getting up from his seat.

To his relief, Levi found that the bathrooms were single rooms with a toilet and a sink, allowing him to lock the door and get some semblance of privacy while he cleaned up.

Staring at himself in the mirror, Levi could understand Desiree's discomfort. He looked like _shit_. Under the unforgiving fluorescent lightbulb he was not just pale, but pallid, with deep, nearly purple shadows under his eyes. Both exhaustion and the fact that he'd spent several years mostly underground in bunkers had done its work on him. There were rarely any reason for him to go above ground and he would not have done so at all if Furlan and Isabel had not insisted he tag along for some of their myriad of time wasting pursuits.

Scoffing, Levi leaned in to inspect some of the bruising on his face. He had a split lip and a tear on his cheekbone that looked red and angry against his paper white skin. Furrowing his brow in thought, Levi tried to remember how he got them. It had not been in their escape and there hadn't really been any struggle between him and Eren, either. Removing the rest of his clothing, Levi let the water run to a nice, hot temperature while he inspected the rest of his body. There were a lot of unaccounted for bruising. The bitemarks were fine, he remembered them, as for the rest...

The marks coupled with the unexplained loss of time in the cell confounded him. Levi supposed he should worry about these things if he could just summon up enough shits to care. The bruising and cuts hurt dully and his ass had definitely been torn, though the blood he washed away had already dried.

Levi made a mental note to get his hands on antiseptics and antibacterial ointment. Perhaps he could steal it. That still left him with a long list of essentials though, clean water, shelter and food being top priority.

Marginally cleaner, Levi redressed in the clothes that stank of Eren, Traute and himself, retching with disgust as he did so. For a long while he stood leaning over the sink and merely breathed, trying to steady his roiling guts. It was no use. Levi was forced to miserably suffer through his stomach trying to eject contents that wasn't there. Just pale, white bile dribbled into the sink and Levi flushed it down while shuddering violently.

When he finally felt that his legs could carry him reliably, Levi made his way into the bistro again. Eren was still where he had left him, now hunched over his greasy food. The way he was eating one would think he'd been deprived of food for days, not a mere twenty four hours or less. Scooting mindfully into his seat, Levi surveyed his own food with less enthusiasm. His stomach curled unhappily at the smell, but he didn't know when he'd be able to eat next and he really didn't give two shits if this alpha decided it was worth spending money on him. Pride was something Levi had learned to forego long ago and right now sustenance was more important.

Plucking the bright red cherry from his milkshake, Levi popped it in his mouth with some whipped cream and chased it all down with the bitter coffee. The sweetness and the strong taste of coffee kick-started his system and he felt... better. Perhaps not entirely so, but quickened at the very least. Then he dipped a chunky fry down in the strawberry milkshake and tasted it with reservation. The sweet and salty flavours mingled, somehow revealing more memories that he had thought long since buried and forgotten.

_Kuchel and Levi had used to go to the movies on Saturdays when he was a kid and afterwards they had treated themselves to the same meal, every time. Levi had ordered his strawberry milkshake and fries, while Kuchel got waffles with whipped cream and raspberries. They'd talked about the movie. Or rather, Levi had talked about the movie, Kuchel had mostly just listened. Why had he forgotten that?_

Eren was watching him munching thoughtfully on his fries with a strange expression on his face. It portrayed something akin to curiosity, like he couldn't quite believe what he was watching. Eren's own pursuit of eating slowed down as he stared at Levi, not bothering to hide his obvious appraisal. Levi wasn't feeling especially bothered by it one way or another, used to being openly scrutinized, though perhaps with more aggressive lust rather than the slight wonder that prevailed in Eren's eyes. The redness was entirely gone from them now, revealing a bright turquoise hue that suited the alpha's ocean scent.

Distracting himself from the intense gaze, Levi stared out the window and onto the empty parking lot. It was alien to be able to see outside so easily without the help of surveillance cameras. The corners of Levi's vision blurred as he slowly blinked and stared at a newspaper being blown across the lot. The brewing storm from last night was increasing its fervour. The trees outside were bent at a precarious angle and the sky was quickly darkening with black clouds.

Sitting completely still, Levi waited for the the vertigo to slowly recede and it left him feeling even more drained. The exhaustion made him less inclined to care about where he was or what would happen to him now that he was hunted by his own blood and alpha. The dull apathy wasn't anything new and it was a welcome relief to the pain and confusion.

Hunger had once again reclaimed Eren's attention and he absent mindedly dipped one of his round food-things into a red sauce before chewing thoughtfully on it.

“What are those?” Levi wondered and pointed his pinky at the lump in Eren's hand. The stunned incredulity on Eren's face would have been funny if it wasn't so annoying.

“You've never seen a chicken nugget before?” Eren asked, holding up the half eaten piece of food. Levi clicked his tongue irritably.

“Would I have asked if I had?” Levi quipped back, causing Eren's raised eyebrows to relax and the previous thoughtful expression to return. Popping the nugget into his mouth, Eren picked up another and dipped it in sauce before holding it up in front of Levi's face.

“ _Try it_ ,” Eren commanded.

Levi was too tired to fight it and instantly obeyed, leaning forward and taking a small nibble of the strange food that was offered him. The sauce caused him to sit back in surprise, the spice burning his tongue uncomfortably. Schooling his face to not show his distress, Levi swallowed the piece quickly and went for his strawberry milkshake to wash it down.

Eren was still holding the remaining piece of nugget between thumb and index finger, a slight quirk of his mouth being the first genuine look of humour on his face since they first met.

“Without sauce then,” Eren said, reaching his hand further across the table towards Levi who was drawing away from the offending food.

But Eren wasn't asking, he was commanding, and Levi didn't have a choice but to lean forward and let Eren pop it into his mouth. Levi had expected a similar offence to his tastebuds, but thankfully the nugget didn't really taste of much without the sauce. The outside was slightly crunchy and the inside was hot and chewy and he found that he didn't mind it as much.

A glimmer shone in Eren's eyes as he watched Levi eat and he immediately picked up another nugget, holding it up to Levi's mouth after he had swallowed the first piece. Already having given in to his instincts, Levi was only mildly disturbed by himself when he felt his ears wiggle slightly at the positive attention from the alpha. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes in disgust, Levi let himself get fed for a while. The scent of the ocean washed over him as Eren's eyes continued to glitter with satisfaction.

“Having fun feeding me?” Levi eventually asked, suspecting that Eren wasn't fully aware of the implications it had for an alpha to be doing these things. Eren stopped with another nugget half way towards Levi and stared at him dumbfounded for a couple of seconds.

“Huh,” Eren grunted as he put the nugget back down again.

They continued to eat their greasy food in silence and it settled heavily in Levi's empty stomach. Despite the sun having crawled its way up onto the morning sky, the stormy clouds threw the world in stark relief. Rain was pattering across the asphalt, turning the uninspiring grey into black. If Levi was to find shelter he would have to do it now.

Without thinking, Levi's hand went to his pocket and he kneaded the note from Desiree. That small piece of friendliness shown to him from a _no dym_ on the simple assumption that he was weak and helpless. Levi had rarely, if ever, been either, but now he felt like both were apt descriptors. Every step of this had gone as wrong as it possibly could. Instead of recruiting and binding a promising alpha to the Ackerman clan, Levi had killed the second in command and run away himself. What would happen to the clan now? What would happen to Isabel and Furlan?

What would happen to _him_?

The stirring in Levi's chest felt novel and he spent some time contemplating it as he sucked on a fry drenched in gooey, pink milkshake. The small burst of anxiety was perhaps not dangerous in itself, but behind it loomed a darkness that had Levi nearly physically recoiling. Blood surged so rapidly through his veins his muscles began to ache and his head swam with the onslaught of oxygen. Only distantly did Levi note that his skin was turning into scales as he struggled to put a lid on the Pandora's box of emotions he had inadvertently nudged.

He was just tired, Levi told himself, exhausted really, and far from home and with an alpha he knew next to nothing about. Of course he was reacting. But that was all it was, that was all he could afford it to be.

The stink of tangy brine crawled up Levi's nose, pulling his attention back to the physical world around him and he stared into a pair of yellow eyes. It had already been quiet in the diner besides the low murmur of a radio from behind the counter, but now it seemed nearly unnaturally so. A quick glance around the diner revealed the few other people there staring at them. Though only one of them was a beta and the rest were _no dyms_ , their sketchy glares revealed that they had all sensed the tension between the alpha and the omega.

“I'm fine,” Levi whispered quietly to appease Eren, whose claws had dug into the cheap plastic of the table. “We should leave now, anyway, the storm is going to make it impossible to go anywhere pretty soon.”

Levi rested both his hands on the table, palms facing upwards and bowed his head slightly. The forced supplication in the omega's body language instantly affected the alpha. His claws turned back to their regular, nail-bitten fingers and the golden hue in his eyes reverted to ocean green, though his scent remained slightly tangy.

“But where are we going?” Eren questioned, his voice slightly guttural.

“You still have your clan, don't you?” Levi returned. Though the Ackerman had jumped the alpha outside his clan perimeter, nothing of what Eren had said or done so far indicated that he was exiled or was otherwise a rogue alpha.

“Fine, I'll rephrase my question then,” Eren amended, “where do _you_ intend to go?”

“What's it to you?” Levi shot back. He wasn't about to reveal just how desperate he was. Granted, it would just be adding one plus one and arriving at two to understand what kind of shit he was in.

“What's it to me?” Eren repeated, almost laughing, though there was no mirth in his voice. “You just ran away from your own clan and you're an _omega_. What kind of fuckup would I be if I didn't take an interest in your safety?”

“The type of fuckup to assume I need the protection of an alpha,” Levi replied, his dwindling patience snapping. An answering anger shot across Eren's face, contorting it for a fraction of a second before he slammed both his hands on the table and leaned forward. Levi had seen these kinds of displays countless times before and wasn't in the least bit impressed, but the anxious call from Desiree reminded him that they were in _no dym_ territory now, and that type of behaviour was probably not acceptable.

With a derisive scoff at Eren's tantrum, Levi placed a hand on the alpha's head and slammed it forcefully into the table with a loud thunk. Eren groaned loudly as he sat back up again, swaying slightly and rubbing at the quickly reddening spot on his forehead. Levi couldn't decide whether he was happy he hadn't broken the alpha's nose. It was a handsome face despite everything and it would be a pity if it got permanently damaged.

“What the fuck?” Eren finally breathed once he had gotten over the initial shock. Alphas healed quickly so Eren wouldn't be struggling with a headache for particularly long, but hopefully it had scrambled something right in the temperamental head of his.

“Try and use that fucking brain of yours or I'll punch it right out of your thick skull,” Levi growled, moving to grab another fry only to find both them and the cake completely gone. Eren merely grumbled his dissent, but he seemed somewhat calmer.

“You have to leave now, before I call the cops,” a stern voice boomed over them. Desiree stood by their table, arms braced on her hips and an expression promising bloody murder on her face. She was looking at Eren specifically as she pointed at the door. “I don't want your sort in my diner, so you leave. _Now_.”

Eren opened and closed his mouth a couple of times in confusion, still rubbing his sore head, but Levi's admonishment must have stuck because he simply ended up shrugging. “Alright,” he agreed, “we'll be leaving.”

“No, I only want _you_ to leave,” Desiree clarified, slightly mollified that Eren wasn't causing any more of a fuss. “You're of course welcome here any time, sweetie,” she smiled warmly at Levi who tried his best not to scowl at her endearment.

Eren smiled at her until she left their table again. The smile didn't reach his eyes, which still had a slight golden tinge to their edges. It made Levi feel apprehensive, his sharpened ears perking and the fine hair on his neck raising. For the first time since he'd met Eren, Levi was unable to read what his next course of action would be.

Tossing a bunch of crumbled notes onto the table, Eren got up from his seat. With a calculating gaze he looked down at Levi, held out his hand and a command passed his lips, “ _come with me_.”

Levi managed to resist it for less than a blink of an eye before he found his own hand in the alpha's and his legs following on their own accord. Bending to the alpha's will, the voice reverberated inside him and consumed Levi like fire.

Desiree's dismayed “hey!” was the last thing he heard before the door of the diner slammed shut behind them and they were engulfed by the brewing storm.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Where do you keep your omegas then?” Levi asked, his tired mind working as quickly as it could to catch up to this new information, red lights flashing in warning. “Do you lock them up in a cellar or somethin'?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for your very kind comments on this little project of mine! I hope you all do as well as you can in the circumstances, and I wish you all the best ♡
> 
> Also, happy birthday Eren!
> 
> Music: [Lonesome - Adna](https://open.spotify.com/track/7ljZRvEMhspOyObOow5ZvZ?si=mLbqD5KMSTeHRqD6cyPZSw)

Levi quickly found himself overwhelmed in a world he had not seen or experienced for years. The unrelenting sounds of the city that were amplified by the wind deafened him and the lights from the many signs and cars blinded him. The only assurance he had was Eren's warm hand wrapped around his own. And yet the alpha could be leading him anywhere. Most probably back to his own turf and to whatever fate awaited an unmated omega there.

Levi was at a three folded juncture. He could pull his hand away and go back to the Ackerman Clan, he could manage on his own in the vast city landscape, or he could trust this stranger. Trust had never come easy to Levi, but the other options smouldered into nothing while Eren's command to follow was burning through Levi's mind like fire. He followed.

Unconcerned with the cacophony of the city around them, Eren navigated through the storm and herded the both of them onto a tram. Their short run outside had already drenched them and they stood dripping by the pram area not wanting to sit down on the dry seats.

“We can take this one for a while, then we have to switch to another line,” Eren informed Levi. “Thankfully that one stops nearly by the gates, though.”

With fingertips tinged blue by the cold, Levi pulled his soaking hair out of his face and back across his head, trying to drain it out as much as possible. He was shivering with the freezing water dripping down his back and he knew he had to look like a pathetic mess next to the alpha. Somehow Eren just appeared mildly annoyed by the inconveniences he had been subjected to. His long, dark hair hung around his shoulders in wet strands and his shirt clung to his chest, but his turquoise gaze was alert and his cheeks red.

Trying to find a glimmer of positivity, Levi was relieved to notice that if nothing else, then the rain had soaked some of Traute's stench from the shirt. Nothing but the scent of the sea washed over him now, rolling over him as he stared at the floor, too overwhelmed to stomach seeing much of what was flying by outside the window. Eren's hand had curled around his neck in a possessive grip and Levi gritted his teeth. He didn't have the energy to throw the alpha off or to convince his tired mind that he didn't take a little bit of comfort from the hold. Instincts were taking over as Levi succumbed under the continuous onslaught of new impressions, and he remained compliant and submissive under Eren's grip.

By the time they walked up to the gates leading to the Smith's turf, Levi could feel a fever heat the skin on his face and a dull ache had settled in his joints. A humming in his ears made it difficult to catch what Eren was saying, so Levi had long since tuned him out. But as they approached the gate he had to stop and stare. These didn't look like the gates to any dynamic's turf that he'd ever seen before, they rather looked like they belonged to an aristocrat's estate. They were wide and decorative, the brass and iron curving into shapes of leaves and birds and obviously more for show than to ward off any possible attackers. Levi eyed Eren with some scepticism, but the alpha was smiling with relief and quickened his steps further.

There were no guards by the impressive gate, nor a guardhouse in which they could be hiding from the awful weather as far as Levi could see. Eren pressed a code into a panel and after a short moment there was a buzz and a disembodied voice.

“Eren!? Where the hell have you been, boy?” the tinny voice called over the speaker and it took Levi only a moment to localize up to three cameras pointed right at them.

“Hi Mike,” Eren called back and looked up at one of the cameras with an apologetic shrug. “That's a long story, so I'd rather just get into some some dry clothes first if you don't mind.”

“Alright,” the disembodied voice called Mike agreed, “but who is that fellow with you?”

“This is- err, Levi from University,” Eren lied lamely. Levi tried really hard not to roll his eyes and let his gaze fall to the ground again to hide his discomposure. “He's from the half-way house where Historia and Ymir lives, remember?”

“Oh, right...” Mike replied, sounding unconvinced. “Why are you here and not there in this weather? Isn't that closer to Trost U? And what's his dynamic?”

“He's, uhm, a beta... and as I said Mike, it's a long story and we're freezing our balls off out here.” Eren finished the poor excuse with what he probably thought was a charming and winning smile. Whatever it was, it turned out to be enough, because Mike opened the gates and they slipped inside quickly.

Ahead of them was a long, winding avenue lined by imposing oak trees, the wind bending the hulking shapes and rattling the crowns, the heavy branches stretching desperately towards the darkly clouded sky.

And where would it all lead to? There had only ever been one constant in Levi's life and that had been his knowledge that he'd fight. Whatever was ahead of him now could either be better or worse than from whence he came, but he'd still face it and he'd conquer it. Of that there was little doubt in his mind, even if his legs were stiff from the cold and his bruises tore red hot through his body for each step that he took.

“I am not going to keep you here, you know,” Eren suddenly declared, loud enough to carry above the cacophony of the wind in the trees. Levi pressed his lips together. This was not the first instance during their relatively short time together that Eren had shown an uncanny ability to read Levi's silent demeanour. Eren continued, “I just thought you'd really need a place to lay low until you figure shit out- y'know, get yourself a hot shower, somewhere to sleep.... some clean clothes that doesn't have braingunk on them?”

Despite Eren's broad shoulders, his assured gait and the faint hint of brine in the air, the crack in his voice betrayed some of what he was feeling in regards to his own words.

“A shirt without braingunk would be lovely,” Levi agreed and was gratified when he heard Eren's laughter, though there was an edge of hysteria to it.

Levi felt some of the same anxiety curling around like an eel in his own stomach. It was sort of funny, wasn't it, that they had fucked less than five hours ago, killed three people, then gone to a local diner to have milkshake and fries? The slimy tentacles turned into tendrils of fear clutching at Levi's scalp, but with a gasp of air he managed to ignore them. Had learned to ignore such things a long time ago.

Bridges would burn, he'd lose everything on the way but he'd carry on. For what, he was not yet quite sure.

The avenue eventually made way to what Levi could only describe as a quaint village taken right out of some period drama. The types Kenny loved to watch when he was wine drunk, but adamantly denied to have ever seen afterwards. If someone had shown a picture of the Ackerman compound and told an architect to create the exact opposite, this would have been the result. Small town houses lined tidy streets already lit up by yellow street lights to fight the darkness of early spring storms. The road continued up a grassy hill towards the courtyard of a giant mansion that towered over the small settlement like an ominous vulture. Levi knew absolutely nothing about architecture and the only conclusion he ended up drawing as he scowled up at it was that it looked old and expensive.

What kind of fucking clan turf was this?

Kenny hadn't been fucking shitting when he said this clan was loaded. Levi wondered where everything had gone wrong. By all accounts the Ackermans were a much older clan than the Smiths and had owned turf in Trost for centuries, if not well over a millennia. It should have been the other way around.

Once they were in the village there wasn't much further to go. Eren took a right turn and energetically skipped up the steps to one of many identical town houses. The house wasn't as large as the ones closer up towards the mansion, neither did it boast any type of lawn or recreational area, which spoke of an understated hierarchy as far as Levi was able to understand it.

“I suppose I got to warn you ahead of time,” Eren said with his hand on the doorknob. “I live with my sister and my best friend and they're both a bit... _prying_ , sometimes. Just stick by me and it will be fine, alright?”

It wasn't really alright, but Levi wasn't one to argue. Eren had promised him a shower and the possibility of a hot cup of tea and some dry clothes. The house could be filled with laughing hyenas as far as Levi was concerned. But Eren never had the chance to open the door as it was suddenly wrenched out of his grasp and a dark blur threw themself around his neck. Levi's claws were out and his teeth were bared even before he had the time to register what it was he was supposed to fight.

“What the fuck!?” the stranger was yelling. Levi recognised the assailant as a slim, dark haired woman once she finally let go of Eren's neck. “Where the fuck have you been? Why haven't you answered your phone? What-” Her line of questioning dwindled as her eyes caught up with her and she stood there on the threshold taking in Eren's wet and bloodied state.

“Let's just say I made an impromptu visit at the Ackerman turf,” Eren divulged and tried to push past her, but the woman wasn't budging.

Her black eyes were like large saucers in her face and her mouth pinched together in what Levi assumed was deep thought. The smell of wet and rotten leaves permeated the air, drowning out Eren's now already familiar scent. Slowly it registered with Levi that the smell came from the young woman rather than the rain that was still pouring down around them. The tangy earthen tone seemed familiar in the most disconcerting way and Levi furrowed is brow in suspicion. At the same moment a shadow fell across the woman's face and she reluctantly turned her attention from Eren and let it fall upon Levi instead. If she had picked up on the same vague idea that Levi had, she certainly hid it well. Or, more likely, she didn't care.

“Who is this?” she questioned instead, eyes narrowed as they flickered up and down Levi's haggard body.

“We'll make all the proper introductions once we're inside, alright?” Eren urged and the woman finally stepped aside to let them both enter the hallway.

It was somewhat messy inside, but in the way that hinted at one person in particular being responsible for the untidy nature, while someone else tried their very best to create some form of organisation in the chaos. There were too many jackets to fit on the rack, but they had been hung up with undying optimism regardless, and Levi was pretty certain that the shoes strewn along the wall had once been lined up neatly. The scents of the ocean and the wet forest hung heavy in the air, mingled with something else familiar that Levi couldn't quite place.

Kicking off their soaked sneakers, Levi and Eren followed the dark haired woman into what turned out to be the kitchen and living room area. It was comfortably furnished with a large sofa, television, bookshelves and whatever else Levi figured people needed in their lives. The windows were tall, nearly reaching from floor to ceiling, letting in what little light that still seeped in from the darkened world outside. A crowded corridor with two doors and a staircase led away from the living room, up towards what Levi assumed was the upper floors.

“Armin! Eren is home!” the woman yelled up the staircase before turning back and tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. “What the actual fuck, Eren?” she questioned again, but much softer this time, a note of resignation in her voice. “You disappear for two days and return with an _omega_ from another clan? You're in so much trouble... _Again_.”

Levi frowned. Two days? It couldn't have been more than twenty-four hours unless they had held Eren in the cell for a day before informing him. Which was highly irregular... Though he couldn't quite shake the feeling of apprehension.

“It wasn't exactly planned,” Eren objected as he wrenched his wet t-shirt over his head and threw it away onto a chair by the kitchen table. “I got jumped and we sort of just ran for it. This is Levi by the way, from the Ackerman clan.”

The girl's black gaze turned back to Levi and she gave him another slow once-over before nodding silently, the resignation on her face turning into something Levi thought was sadness. If not for the wafts of rotten leaves emanating from her, Levi would have been hard pressed interpreting any emotion at all.

“This is Mikasa,” Eren finally introduced her, “she's my sister! Or well, close to I guess. We grew up together.”

There were no real similarities between them, but family was what you got along the way and so Levi didn't really question it. Whatever Mikasa had wanted to say died on her lips as a young man clampered down the stairs and entered the room with the same energy that she'd originally jumped Eren.

“Eren!” the young man exclaimed, stopping short of touching the alpha and remained at a respectful distance, taking in his appearance instead. Levi could see his mind work to put the visual clues together and his pale brows rose above keen, blue eyes. “You smell different,” was the man named Armin's only comment.

Dressed only in his wet and dirty jeans, Eren sat down heavily in an unoccupied chair. He looked about as lost as Levi felt under his friends' scrutinizing gazes.

“If you're all quite done with your reunion and you're all satisfied that Eren is indeed mostly whole, I was promised a shower,” Levi cut through, his voice heavy and leaden in the chaotic silence.

“And you are?” Armin asked, a tint of acid in his voice, but Eren's raised hand was enough for him to fall silent again. There was a lot about the hierarchy in this clan that Levi wasn't familiar with, but it was obvious that Eren was the alpha of this particular household. Nothing disagreeable in the scent of the two others signalled them as anything but beta. Certainly not omega.

“Levi is here with me,” Eren said with finality, his eyes glinting a fading yellow, “and he'll be here as long as he needs to.”

“I am pretty sure our _Clan Alpha,_ if you will remember, has the last say in that,” Armin pointed out, his voice heavy with sarcasm, apparently not all that deterred by Eren's show of aggression. He raised a valid point that had been been gnawing at the back of Levi's mind: what of the Clan Alpha?

“Levi isn't joining our clan or threatening it, he's just visiting,” Eren muttered, “it is no different than when Historia and Ymir visit, for example.”

“Yes it is,” Mikasa argued quietly, “Levi is from the Ackerman clan for one, and a fucking _omega_ for another.”

Already tired of listening to himself being spoken of as if he was not there, Levi began moving further into the house in search of the promised bathroom. If nothing else he'd get himself what was due before he got thrown out again.

“Where are you going?” Eren called after him, forcing Levi to turn and regard the alpha.

The dull yellow tint in Eren's eyes had turned golden and Levi let out a frustrated sigh. Back home at the compound Kenny would be dealing with the delusional alphas who got too attached to their designated omegas, ending whatever idea they might have that they owned them. Now Levi had to somehow navigate the knife edge of dependence and independence with an alpha on another clan's turf.

“I am getting that shower you promised me,” Levi pointed out with more patience than he was feeling. “The sooner I do the sooner I can get out of here and the sooner all this mess is history.”

“No-” Eren growled and got up from his seat, the muscles under his skin bulging like he was getting ready to pounce, “- _you stay_.”

To Levi's surprise both Mikasa and Armin moved as one, placing their hands on Eren's shoulders and forced him back into his seat. Levi supposed they had dealt with Eren's temperamental outbursts enough times to not feel intimidated any more.

The exhaustion that had seeped into Levi at the diner had not diminished and the command in Eren's voice burned through him like fire, but he planted his feet and faced the alpha head on.

“You will stop that right now or I'll fucking smash your face into the floor so hard there'll be bone splinters in the woodwork, you understand?” Levi growled in turn, black scales hardening across his throat in preparation for a fight.

Surprise marred Eren's expressive face as his eyes widened and lips parted like he wanted to say something, but his voice was muted, unable to communicate his thoughts. Eventually dark eyebrows drew into a deep frown and the sudden change in mood would have been unmistakable from that alone, never mind the overpowering scent of brine hitting Levi square in the face.

Nobody moved or said anything for what felt like several excruciating minutes, silver eyes glaring into gold.

But without any further reply from Eren, the scales retracted and with them the last of Levi's reserve of strength. Not counting the loss of time, Levi calculated that he'd been awake for more than forty-eight hours, most of them spent caught in a cell with a rutting alpha. The yearning for the scent of home had him turning to Mikasa, but it was Armin who stepped forward to catch him by the elbow as his vision darkened and the world careened sharply to the left. Levi wanted to bat him away, but his mind was full of cotton and the edges of his anger were dull. Beyond that there were no emotions.

“Let's get you into a hot bath,” Armin coerced and turned them both around, helping Levi with slow steps towards one of the doors by the stairs in the hallway. It led into a fairly spacious and relatively clean bathroom with pale green tiles and white accents.

By the far wall stood the most beautiful sight Levi had ever seen: a lion footed and promisingly deep bathtub.

“Do you mind if I stay with you for a while? I worry you'll faint in the tub,” Armin questioned as he closed the door behind them. Levi merely shrugged in reply and started unbuttoning the hated shirt he had pulled off of Traute's corpse.

While Levi undressed, he dispassionately watched as Armin rummaged around in the cupboard under the sink and pulled out a large box with a red cross on it. Thank fuck, some antiseptics.

“I'm currently applying for a residency at Trost Hospital as a paediatrician,” Armin prefaced, “so I'd like to go over some of those scrapes if I may.”

Levi furrowed his brow in annoyance. He didn't care if this kid was a star physician, he wasn't about to let some stranger paw at him.

“I can do it myself,” he grunted in reply as he began tampering with the taps, holding his hand under the running water to gauge the temperature. Levi's skin was covered head to toe in goosebumps, but he had stopped shivering. His muscles were too tired to even do that job right.

“I'm concerned you won't be able to do it properly on your own,” Armin argued and settled the box on the sink with a decided clunk, “reaching the scrapes on your back and thighs will be almost impossible.”

Huffing in mild annoyance, Levi conceded to Armin's point and braced himself as he climbed into the tub with shaking legs. He fell into a heap of fatigued limbs more than sat down in the end, but managed to old the shower head up for Armin to take. The young man took the proffered item and knelt by the tub, letting a soft drizzle of water run across Levi's skin to clean off the worst of the dried blood and sweat.

Drawing his knees up, Levi rested his forehead on them and tried really, really hard not to find the careful ministrations soothing. Warm hands traced his neck and shoulders and Armin let out a thoughtful, “hmm”.

“ _What_?” Levi grunted. The questions would come and he better just get them over and done with.

“These scales.... and you don't have any marks,” Armin breathed as his hand continued to trail down Levi's spine, tracing the texture of permanent scales that lined it. They had been there as long as Levi could remember and Kenny had never really bothered to get a doctor to check on it. Usually Levi forgot they were even there since they didn't bother him in any particular way.

“Mating marks you mean? No, I am unmated,” Levi replied into his knees. He couldn't remember ever having had a man touch him this softly before. “Is that a problem for you?”

“For me? No,” Armin answered and let the soft drizzle of water run across Levi's scalp. “But I was wondering at Eren's behaviour... he's even more, uh, _aggressive_ than usual.”

Not bothering to answer the vague hints Armin were getting at, Levi merely shrugged and shaded his eyes with his hands to avoid getting too much water in them. Despite the sound of the shower, his keen ears were picking up voices from the living room, one baritone and the other a light tenor, obviously arguing. The only words he could pick out were his own name repeated several times in the baritone and “in deep shit” from the tenor. Nothing new, then.

“We might have acted all surprised initially,” Armin sighed as he made an obvious effort to tune out the argument as well, “but honestly, if anyone were to drag an omega home by the scruff it would be Eren, you know?”

“I am not dragged anywhere by the scruff,” Levi bristled, “the stupid alpha managed to get himself caught by the Ackermans and it was my job to make sure he stayed. The fucker decided to kill two members of the clan instead and I got caught up in it.”

The soft hands disappeared from Levi's skin and he mourned them only briefly, blaming his exhaustion for his weakness.

“So that's where he disappeared to,” Armin murmured mostly to himself, “your people had him.”

“He's a stubborn ass,” Levi muttered and if he had hoped to needle Armin further it had the opposite effect as the young man burst out laughing.

“That he is,” Armin agreed easily and placed his hand on Levi's shoulder, carefully coaxing him to sit up so that he could start washing the chest and stomach.

“I told you, I can do this myself,” Levi objected weakly, but Armin gave a ' _tsk_ ' and continued with his ministrations.

Levi relented and sat back, but as he did so a sharp stab shot through his abdomen, making Levi hiss out in pain before he could bite back the sound and squirmed in agitation. Armin didn't miss any of it and his calculating gaze revealed that he had come to a conclusion at lightening speed.

“So, when you say it was your job to make sure Eren _stayed_ , that means what I think it means, right?” Armin questioned. His voice had a gravely edge to it and he coughed lightly to hide the discomposure.

Leaning back until he was resting against the edge of the tub, Levi let out a sigh of relief when the pain subsided. What was it with these Smiths and their constant questioning of things? Granted they all seemed fairly young, but they couldn't be _that_ green.

“I'm an omega,” Levi deadpanned and indicated himself with a limp hand, “what the fuck else would I be doing?”

“I don't know,” Armin revealed honestly, “I have never met an omega before. Not properly, anyway, I've only ever seen some in passing.”

Despite the dullness in Levi's mind and the aches of his body he couldn't help but raise his brows in stunned surprise.

“Where do you keep your omegas then?” Levi asked, his tired mind working as quickly as it could to catch up to this new information, red lights flashing in warning. “Do you lock them up in a cellar or somethin'?”

“No!” Armin denied vehemently, horror at the thought written on his youthful face. “We just don't have any omegas in our clan. I was led to believe they're quite rare.”

Levi scoffed. There were seven in the Ackerman clan alone, not counting Levi himself, and he couldn't quite believe that a clan as large and opulent as the Smiths didn't have a single omega. That really couldn't bode well, though Levi supposed with the ability to boast this kind of lifestyle they didn't really have any need of them. Applications to join the clan were probably sent in daily by both capable alphas and betas, and no clan in their right mind would be attacking this estate. Not unless they somehow managed to get the cooperation of several other clans for a joint siege.

Or, Levi's mind supplemented helpfully as a chill crawled up his spine, something about the Smith clan had omegas turning away.

“Your Alpha, what type of leader are they?” Levi wondered, stilling his trepidation until he had gathered more information.

“Erwin is strict, but fair, I suppose,” Armin answered after having given the question some due thought. “He's rather traditional in some things, but then again very avant in others. I don't have much to compare him with since I was too young to remember much before I joined the Smith clan.”

Levi let his legs fall apart when Armin nudged them and merely grunted in annoyance at the close scrutiny the young man was giving his scrapes and bruises. Getting cleaned by someone else had been nice, but Levi didn't need some nosy kid up in his business.

“Would you let me check on your nether regions as well?” Armin questioned, already inching towards the area like a leech attracted to wounds.

Levi wanted to ask how Armin had guessed that the main source of Levi's discomfort, but settled on growling, “why do you fucking care so much about helping someone you don't even know?”

“Would I have spent the past six years of my life studying to become a doctor if I didn't want to help people I don't know?” Armin answered easily, effectively shutting Levi up.

Instead of arguing further, Levi decided that compliance was the easiest way to get out of the situation and scooted further down the tub, allowing Armin to rearrange his limbs until he had free access to the area in question. Bile rose in Levi's throat when he felt the otherwise so gentle hands touch him, but he swallowed it down together with all the other emotions that had been roaring to surface the last twenty-four hours.

He was an omega. Embarrassment and modesty wasn't afforded him and he certainly wasn't about to start that shit now. A quick glance at Armin revealed a concentrated furrow on the young man's face and not much else, allowing Levi to relax.

“Well,” Armin hummed after a while, “there is a rather nasty tear here, but it is already closing on its own. I guess we'll just continue applying bacitracin and keep a close eye on it.”

Armin let Levi's legs fall back down and together again, yet there was a hesitation in his mannerisms that made Levi suspect that he had something more to say and that he was battling with himself on how or if he should. Lying naked and bruised in the tub watching the other man struggle with himself felt both oddly familiar and completely absurd at the same time. It was the same look Furlan got whenever Levi was ordered to do recruitment work and Levi really wasn't having that bullshit any more.

“Spit it out,” he snapped, taking Armin by surprise. The blue gaze returned from whatever inner debate he'd been having and roamed across Levi's exposed body dispassionately.

“It is just that I noticed quite a bit of scar tissue,” Armin said, his voice now steady, “though it looked old.”

“Your point being?” Levi grunted as he used his foot to turn on the water tap. He was too tired to sit up to do it, but he'd be damned if he didn't get that bath.

“I guess I am just trying to piece the puzzle together to form some kind of coherent image of what happened,” Armin sighed and plugged the tub so that the water could gather. Then he held up two bottles, one with roses on it and another that was just plain green, “what do you want? Pink bubbles or apple scent?”

“Both,” Levi replied. He loved soap. Sluggishly, his mind finally managed to put everything together and realisation hit him: the familiar scent he'd smelled upon entering the house was Armin. Armin smelled like _soap_. More specifically, soft almond soap. Levi filed the revelation to the back of his mind to reflect on later, when he had the energy to spare.

“I was naive and unprepared,” Levi confessed to Armin's inquiry, watching pink and green liquid coil into the water and turning into foam, “both back then and now, apparently.”

There was a short knock on the door before it opened and Mikasa poked her head in, “I need you to come out here for a moment, Armin,” she said in a half whisper, “he isn't listening to me.”

“Alright,” Armin agreed, “I'll be out in a moment.” The door closed again and Armin's shoulders slumped slightly as he stared at it.

Slowly, time ticked by and the only sound was that of the water splashing in the tub. The tall windows of the bathroom were tinted to deny anyone a view in, but a soft, blue light reflected in the water not yet covered by colourful foam as the lustre outside changed with the subsiding storm. Levi idly broke the surface with his hand and scattered the image, the unrest in the water creating small waves that splashed up against his split lip. Just as he was dispassionately contemplating whether he could drown in this tub, two strong hands inserted themselves under his armpits and hoisted him up into a sitting position.

“I have to go- will you be alright on your own?” Armin wondered quietly and there was a glimmer of real worry in his eyes. Whether it was for Levi's safety or regarding Eren, he didn't know, and he merely replied with a roll of his eyes. Hurt or no, Levi was a grown ass man and could take a fucking bath without supervision. Armin huffed a short laugh, interpreting the gesture correctly and stood up before rolling down the sleeves of his shirt before.

“Just-” Levi began, but stopped himself and tried to reorganize his thoughts in his muddled mind. Armin waited patiently by the door for Levi to continue. After a bit, he did so grudgingly, “Eren went through some shit, alright, so give him space and time.”

Armin gave a nod of acknowledgement and disappeared out the door, silently pulling it shut behind himself.

Turning the water tap off with a kick of his foot, Levi let the warm water and the muffled voices in the house lull him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I'm done having conversations in the tub,” Levi groused instead and tried to get up, but to his great annoyance he was still too weak to muster the strength._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter finds you all safe and well! <3 As always, thank you all for your continued kind comments, you're all the absolute best. 
> 
> Chapter written to [輪郭 by Dir en grey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLRcMHDYxDo) =3

Slowly, Levi woke to the already familiar scent of the ocean rolling over him. Blinking open swollen eyelids, Levi's vision swam and all he could discern was a mosaic of soft colours. His body felt so heavy, like it wanted to drag him under the water again. The bath had grown cooler, but was still warm enough not to cause him any discomfort.

Levi couldn't conjure up a reason not to fall back asleep, and so he did.

When Levi next regained consciousness he felt marginally more alert, but his memory was eluding him. The soft, blue light shimmering in through the tall windows and the height under the ceiling were alien. His brain kept trying to place where he was but skidded to a halt when no associations gave him an anchor to hold on to. Panic began to bubble in Levi's chest until he heard the sound of someone shifting next to him. Turning his head, Levi saw Eren sitting on the lid of the toilet and it clicked. He was at the Smith's turf, in Eren's house, taking a bath.

Eren himself was preoccupied flipping through a magazine, giving the impression that he'd been there for some time. He had yet to realise that Levi was awake and Levi took the opportunity to study the alpha in his natural habitat, his heart still beating a crushing tattoo in his chest. There had to be more than one bathroom in the house, Levi assumed, because Eren was cleaned up and in dry clothes. With the long hair pulled up and back from his face and a calm expression rather than the rabid anger and lust of an alpha in rut, Levi couldn't help but admit that Eren was a beautiful man. The scent of ocean was soft, reminding him of a summer breeze rather than drowning in a stagnant pool of brackish water.

“Have you been sitting there staring at me the entire time like a creep?” Levi questioned, his voice a guttural whisper.

Eren looked up from the magazine and a faint smile flickered across his red lips.

“Yeah,” he admitted easily, “Mikasa said I shouldn't, but I threw a tantrum until they let me in.”

A sensation akin to pity roiled in Levi's stomach and he stomped it down decidedly. Pity never got anyone anywhere.

“Listen kid-” Levi began and found that he could sit up in the tub on his own, the now bubbleless water swishing around him, “-you got to stop that.”

“You keep on saying that, but I don't understand what you mean,” Eren replied quickly, like he'd been waiting for just this opportunity to broach the subject. “Stop _what_?”

Something heavy settled on Levi's chest and he tried to ease the constraint by letting his breath out slowly, before sucking it back in.

“Are you seriously telling me you have no fucking clue what is going on?” Levi answered Eren's question with one of his own.

They stared at each other for a while, both confused and aggravated at their lack of ability to communicate. Of all the fucking alphas that were to fuck up Levi's life, it had to be someone who didn't even know what he was doing. Though Levi supposed it went some way to forgive the commands Eren had issued at him; if he didn't even know what he was doing then he must have been going on instincts.

Then again, if Eren was to learn of his own power what would he do with it?

“I'm done having conversations in the tub,” Levi groused instead and tried to get up, but to his great annoyance he was still too weak to muster the strength.

Eren held out a hand, but didn't otherwise motion to touch him. Glaring at the offered assistance, Levi eventually took it to steady himself as he climbed out. Once out of the lukewarm water, goose flesh erupted all over Levi's body as the air caressed him and his feet touched the cold, tiled floor. Legs still shaking, but not threatening to give out, Levi took a step away from Eren who remained placid on his seat. There was still a yellow ring around the brilliant turquoise of the alpha's eyes, but he seemed perfectly in control of his faculties.

Having learned more about the Smith clan and how they functioned, Levi supposed Eren's initial aggression was a natural reaction if he, like Armin, had never been around an omega before. Especially after he had spent a rut on Levi, something which was _meant_ to create a connection between them. That was the entire point of it, after all. And though Levi had seen and done too much to be affected by their coupling, this alpha had obviously not.

“Here's a towel,” Eren said and handed Levi a large, blue one, obviously noticing his cold discomfort, “and over there's a pile of clothes Armin found that he thought you might like to borrow.”

Towelling his hair dry, Levi regarded the pile of clothes while debating the situation. The fact that the presence of an alpha with him in a confined space, and finding said alpha staring at him sleeping no less, wasn't making him angry was noteworthy. With it came the unfamiliar sense of guilt twinging through Levi like a sharp pinprick. The knowledge of what Eren had gone through at the hands of the Ackermans- it would change the young man forever, even if he wasn't showing the signs just yet. Furlan had been about the same age as Eren, just as hopeful and ready to fulfil what he viewed as his “alphan duty” to his omega. Levi ignored the tight squeeze to his heart.

Levi should be pushing Eren away, for both their sakes, but instead he tapped Armin's box of medical supplies with a finger, “you'll have to help me apply some salve to the scrapes I can't reach.”

Was it the right thing to do? Levi didn't know. He'd never been concerned with questions like that before.

Eren agreed easily to the task and took the box, finding antiseptics, cotton buds and the salve in question. Wasn't Levi lucky that the alpha he had decided to run away with happened to have a friend studying to become a doctor?

_For fuck's sake_ , Levi thought in aggravated amusement at his own thoughts, and clenched his jaw.

Bracing himself against the sink, Levi watched the reflection of Eren in the mirror as he set about with the task, a frown of concentration on his face. Levi was highly aware of the compromising position he was putting himself in; naked, exhausted, trapped in a small room with an alpha on his hometurf, bent over the sink and displayed... It was a test as much for himself as it was for Eren. A dull thundering of _something_ , a forgotten emotion or feeling, was beating at Levi's consciousness as he studied Eren's mirrored form. It felt far away and muted, like the flickering images on a television screen with the sound off.

Much like Armin, Eren couldn't help but touch the line of scales trailing down Levi's back, ending at his tail bone. But much unlike Armin's gentle, yet dispassionate, hands, Eren's left a burning trail down his spine and a quickening of Levi's heart. Drawing in a surprised breath, Levi gritted his teeth and rolled his shoulders and clicked his tongue with impatience.

“Less touching, more applying of antiseptics,” he admonished Eren whose eyes slowly travelled from Levi's body to meet his gaze in the mirror.

“I, uh...” Eren's voice faded, but the warm hand that was resting against Levi's skin hadn't moved. “I just... did I do all of this to you? These bruises and bites- I can't remember any of them...”

Eren brushed lightly across a rather vicious bite on Levi's right hip that had turned dark blue at the edges, the two dents where the fangs had bitten through were swollen and red. The marks looked like obscene, blooming flowers on Levi's white skin.

“I told you before that you weren't in control of your actions,” Levi murmured, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, feeling the ache of the bruises as his skin stretched, “and despite some mishaps I haven't been permanently damaged. Though right now I am getting a chill and I would fucking love to wear some clothes again.”

With a nod of understanding, Eren finally got to work applying ample amounts of antiseptic on the cotton pads before dabbing them gently against Levi's bruises and scrapes. It felt cold after the hot bath, but Levi had long since grown used to the sting.

“Mikasa wants to inform Erwin of what happened, or at the very least Hange,” Eren told Levi as he worked, “considering that this might compromise the safety of other clan members outside the perimeter and blah blah.”

“You don't sound convinced by her reasoning,” Levi commented, slightly amused by Eren's tone of voice indicating that arguments between him and his sister had to be commonplace.

“I guess she's right, but...” Eren let his voice fade out as he focused on Levi's blemished skin.

“But what?” Levi prompted, tapping his fingers impatiently against the sink.

“But that would compromise you,” Eren finally finished his thought. “Erwin usually don't care when we have dynamics from half-houses visit us, but an omega from a clan that just tried to conscript me against my will? That won't slide over easy.”

“You don't want to compromise the safety of your clan, neither do you want me to leave,” Levi drawled, “sounds to me like you have a problem making up your mind.”

“It's not so much that I don't want you to leave that... uh, I just- _can't_. Despite what I said earlier.”

Eren wasn't meeting Levi's gaze in the mirror. With a huffed out sigh, Levi turned around and folded his arms across his chest, hip leaning against the sink. It was annoying how much he had to look up at the alpha, but he supposed they were having this conversation whether he wanted to or not. Whether he was dressed or not.

“You're an alpha and I am an omega. I'm stating the fucking obvious to you because you seem to have forgotten it,” Levi said, trying to keep the venom born out of exhaustion from his voice. The points of Eren's ears were twitching as he listened intently to Levi's voice, reminding him of how the red-eyed alpha had reacted to it when they first met. “Armin told me you don't have much experience with omegas, but they must have taught you the fucking basics here, right?”

Eren shrugged at the question, but at Levi's raised eyebrow he tried to answer, “I guess all I know is that omegas are... subservient? At least to alphas. That they, uhm, can't help but listen to their alpha's command.” A sly grin crept across Eren's lips as he continued, “I _didn't_ know that they were scaly little assholes, though.”

“You're one to talk,” Levi scoffed, “but you got the gist of it, I suppose. Alphas often have a nasty tendency of thinking that omegas are theirs to command and to own. That's obviously fucking wrong and you should nip that little idea in the bud, right now.” Levi was staring directly into Eren's rapidly yellowing gaze, his stance and tone of voice an obvious challenge to the alpha. Stabbing a finger into Eren's chest, Levi continued unfazed, “this need you have to be around me now is just instincts, the alpha thinking that there is something you need to protect. There isn't. I don't need protection. I _do_ need a strong cup of tea, though.”

A flicker of confused anger had crossed Eren's face during Levi's little rant, but a surprised laugh escaped him at the last part. Lifting his hand, Eren was inches away from touching Levi again, seemingly unaware of the movement, but caught himself just in time and used it to rub his neck in abashment instead.

“Yeah, sure,” Eren agreed, “that I can get for you, no problem.”

Watching the door close behind Eren, Levi shook his head minutely to rid himself of the pent up nerves. It was easier when Kenny could just beat some submission into them. It wasn't like Levi could replicate that here, surrounded by another clan as he was. Once again left alone in the bathroom he spent some time cleaning up the rest and applying the salve generously. The sooner that healed properly the better. The clothes left for him seemed like they would fit okay. Out of the pile, he chose a pair of sweatpants an a loose fitting grey sweater since tight clothes certainly didn't appeal. In his old pair of tattered jeans he found the note that Desiree had given him and re-pocketed it. If Eren's friends did decide to let the Clan Alpha know of his existence, forcing Levi to make a quick escape then at least he would have a number to call.

In his mind's eye Levi imagined himself working at the diner and walking up to tired truck drivers at dawn to fill their mugs with fresh coffee. He wanted to scoff, but honestly, it wouldn't be the worst thing he had ever done for a living.

There was silence in the sitting room. The raised voices had finally quieted down either because someone had given up or they had reached a stand still. Armin was sitting by the kitchen table and typing something on an iPad with a slight frown on his face. A cursory glance around the sitting area revealed Eren lying down on the couch with his face against the backrest. The dark tresses of his hair was spread out across the pillow and his breathing was even. Despite the strength Levi knew that Eren possessed, there was just something so vulnerable about him lying there, hugging his arms closely to his chest, exhaustion finally apparent on the his youthful face.

So what if Levi picked up the throw blanket at draped it across Eren? _Fuck off_.

Armin had obviously noted the gesture, but someone had raised him right because he diligently pretended like he hadn't when Levi threw him a glare.

“Are you hungry?” Armin asked instead in a low voice, as not to wake Eren. Probably just relieved the alpha finally stopped arguing and fell asleep like an obstinate toddler.

Levi shook his head at Armin and padded up to the kitchen counter in his borrowed socks and looked around. There was a kettle on the stove and tea already out looking like someone had started making a cup, but stopped midway through. Levi put the kettle back on and rummaged through the cupboards until he found a mug.

Mindful of Eren, Levi made sure to take the kettle off the stove just as he heard it reaching the boiling point rather than to wait for the whistle to shriek. The hot water sloshed into the mug with the bag of tea slowly mixing a golden colour into the steaming liquid. Levi couldn't help it, he sighed deeply in relief when the blessed scent of tea reached his nose. With only a short internal debate, he decided to sit down in the chair opposite Armin and pulled one leg up to rest his chin on it.

“Mikasa is over at Hange's,” Armin informed Levi in a whisper, as if Levi had any foundation to understand who or what that meant. Looking up from the iPad for a second, the beta pursed his lips before continuing, “Hange is Erwin's second in command and-” Levi had opened his mouth to object, but Armin's raised hand silenced him again albeit with narrowed eyes, “-I know what you're thinking, but you don't have to worry,” Armin elaborated, “Hange is- oh, how to put this? They might be Erwin's second in command but they are not beholden to him. Hange beats to their own drum, so if they choose to show up here be warned: they are a lot, but you can trust them.... I am fairly certain, at least.”

Armin's words weren't exactly comforting. A second in command who didn't adhere to their Alpha's rule? But there was little Levi could do at this point but wait and see and so he settled for sipping his tea with a quiet hum of appreciation.

As it turned out, Armin had been completely right in describing Hange as a lot. The tall, brown haired and brown eyed beta loomed over Levi, staring at him as they pushed slipping glasses up their nose again.

“An Ackerman omega, huh,” they said and grinned, “isn't that exciting for you Mikasa?”

Levi hadn't bothered asking, but the scent of Mikasa was familiar in a way that he, relying on his instincts, didn't have to: she must have been born in the Ackerman clan. How she ended up in the Smith clan he didn't know since he couldn't remember her at all. Possibly her parents ran away at some point.

“Not really,” Mikasa replied deadpan, obviously used to this Hange's level of excitement.

“Eren is sleeping,” Armin admonished from where he sat engrossed on his iPad. Hange got the cue and sat down on a chair next to Levi, leaning their elbows on the table and looking between the two of them.

“So, if I am getting this story right,” Hange began in an excited whisper, “Eren is on his way home from Trost U and gets jumped by a recruitment gang from the Ackerman clan. He gets knocked out, tied up and is introduced to an omega, that's you-” Hange pointed at Levi, “-with the ultimatum that he either join the clan or is killed. Instead, he and the omega kill the second in command and escape the premises. That sounds more like the start of a really cheesy spy novel than real life.”

Listening to the events in Hange's hushed, but still very excited, tones lent a different light to the entire ordeal. They made it sound almost... romantic.

“You forgot the part where Eren was in a rage-induced rut,” Levi commented quietly, wanting to say or do anything to break the expectant bubble that had grown from Hange's little speech.

Dynamics were so fucking romantic with their ideal of the perfect match between an alpha and an omega. The beginning and the end, the ones who encompassed everything between them. What a load of bullshit.

“How long do you think it will take for the tearing to heal?” Levi continued to prod Armin who visibly blanched. Whatever professional attitude he had wanted to take, the association of Levi's intimate wounds with his best friend was hurting him. Good. Levi couldn't afford pathetic sympathies or notions of affections. It was difficult enough keeping Eren at an arm's length without anyone else getting the bright idea of there being a legitimate claim on him.

Hange's excitement quieted and the playful glint in their eyes had turned hard.

“Alright,” Hange conceded and leaned back in their chair, a thoughtful expression on their face. “How did he end up in a rut though? Eren should know better than going out between no dynamics with a rut coming on.”

Levi shrugged and swirled his mug, watching the dredges of his now cool tea slosh around. The scent of masala chai suffused the room and something in the back of Levi's mind noted quietly that it was a generic blend of English breakfast he had been drinking.

“I've seen it happen before,” Levi eventually offered to the quiet room, “that a certain type of alpha enter an enraged state if threatened, even if the rut is some time away. There is really nothing too abnormal about it.”

“I _see_ ,” Hange breathed, and from somewhere on their person they produced a notebook in which they began to energetically write. “How often, on average, have you seen this happen, Levi?”

Levi clicked his tongue at hearing his own name so familiarly used in the stranger's mouth. There had never been any proper introductions between them.

“Not too often,” Levi confessed, “usually we end up just killing them as they're unapproachable.”

Hange's brown eyes shot up from their notebook and bored into Levi's, unrelentingly searching for more knowledge of what he spoke. Despite himself, Levi found that he had to lean back from their intensity.

“But you didn't kill Eren,” Hange finished the story again, “instead you killed someone of your own clan and ran away.”

Levi's upper lip raised into a sneer on its own accord. To stop himself from doing something stupid, he vacated his seat and walked across the room to one of the tall windows. The storm had passed and the sun was clearly visible on the purpling sky. Idly, Levi wondered whether Isabel and Furlan got to watch the same sunset from the top of one of the roofs like they usually did, or if Kenny had the entire compound in an uproar.

But the physical distance was not enough to deter Hange who got up from their own chair and stalked Levi across the room. There was nothing aggressive in their behaviour, just an exhausting need to _know_. Levi was pretty certain Hange was the type of person who would die with their notebook in hand and a question on their lips. The sort who wouldn't be satisfied until the entire universe was unravelled before them.

As Hange hovered near Levi the scent of masala chai grew stronger and Levi heaved yet another sigh. He knew the nitty gritty of dynamic biology, knew what he had to in order to survive as an omega, but the sociological and psychological aspects had for the most part not interested him. Yet he knew enough to realise that these familiar and beloved scents on people he had never met before were not coincidental. What the fuck was his mind playing at? Was this a form of self defence?

“Hange.” The name was uttered in a low growl from the couch and when they both turned they found Eren sitting up and staring at them. “Leave him alone.”

“How are you feeling, hun?” Hange questioned, not in the least bit disturbed by the alpha's aggression. They hurried over to him and put a hand against his forehead before moving it to his cheek and nose. “You're hot, but not feverish. You holding up alright?”

Something in the casual and fearless physical affection calmed Eren down and his raised shoulders slumped down.

“I'm okay,” Eren replied at length, “what are you doing here? Who tattled?”

Mikasa, who had remained a quiet bystander for most of the goings on, moved restlessly. Eren threw her a disapproving glare, but otherwise didn't say anything more on the subject.

“Nobody tattled,” Hange replied, settling down in a chair opposite the couch and crossing their legs, “sometimes things just happen that are hard to deal with if you have no prior experience, it is only wise to seek counsel then.”

Eren snorted, “since when did you talk like a nineteenth century poet?”

“Fine, don't be a dumb shit and do dumb shit,” Hange amended and shot Eren with a finger gun. While it made Levi groan in quiet frustration, it had Eren laughing. The relief at his heightened mood could almost be tasted in the room and Mikasa finally moved from where she had stood pressed up against the kitchen counters.

“And as to answer your question: I am just here to observe,” Hange continued and her glittering gaze returned to Levi by the window. “A young alpha dragging home an omega from a competing clan is very _interesting_ in my field of study _._ ”

“And what field is that?” Levi questioned sarcastically, putting his hands into the large pockets of his borrowed sweatpants, “the 'alpha's are arrogant assholes' field?”

Hange threw their head back and let out a loud, but rather melodic, laughter that didn't stop until they had to dry their eyes for tears. Levi couldn't really see what it was that had been so funny, but Eren was smiling as well and that had the squirming coils settling in the pit of Levi's stomach.

He ignored the sensation.

“I have to admit there is a lot I am not understanding here,” Armin said, steering the conversation back on topic. “I've been searching the Internet all day and it is just telling me things I already know.”

“What is it you're not understanding, then?” Hange asked, pulling their attention from Levi and back to Armin.

“Well, for starters... I'm aware that forced conscription has been going on for a while but- ...what did they hope to achieve by locking Eren up together with an omega, other than risking the omega's life and safety, that is?”

“Yeah... no,” Eren denied and shook his head vehemently, “after having known Levi for half a second I don't think his safety was all that compromised.”

It was Levi's turn to laugh. A low rumble from the pit of his stomach that took him by as much surprise as the rest of the room. His humour was easily answered with a broad grin from Eren whose cheeks had turned a deep shade of crimson. Their eyes met across the room and Levi had to remind himself how to breathe normally.

_Ah fuck_. Levi rolled his shoulders to loose the chink in his neck and to distract himself from the rapidly descending realisations.

Rescue came from an unlikely party as Hange burst through the tense moment with their pen to the notebook, “I think you're a better candidate to answer those questions, Levi.”

Tearing his gaze away from Eren, Levi let them rest on Hange instead and shrugged, his hands still in his pockets fumbling with the piece of paper there. “It is simple biology, alphas get attached to the omegas they fuck,” Levi informed them, “and they're more likely to stick around an omega that they form a connection to. Or imagine they have a connection to.”

“But... don't the omegas form a connection as well?” Mikasa questioned, her dark brows furrowed.

“Maybe?” Levi replied vaguely, “some might. Who knows, who cares?”

“But you never did?” Hange continued to interrogate, pen moving across paper even if they had yet to look away from Levi. Interesting skill.

“I dunno. Maybe when I was younger... I don't remember,” Levi sighed, “one alpha is just like the next, honestly.”

“Do you really mean that?” Eren suddenly asked and the resurfacing blush on his face made Levi suspect that he hadn't intended to ask that out loud.

For fuck's sake, how many times did Levi have to tell this kid that what he was feeling now was just instincts. Basic needs. That it would disappear within a week and meant nothing, would lead to nothing. Levi couldn't imagine anything dumber than willingly set oneself up for heartbreak when it wasn't even a matter of the heart; people just liked to pretend it was because that made it less crude. The _no dyms'_ idea of romance superimposed on their culture where it had no right to be.

“Either way, I got my shower, cup of tea and the rain has eased off so I should get going,” Levi said, avoiding looking at Eren and rather nodding towards Armin instead. “I'll repay you for the clothes once I get my hand on some money.”

“No you're fucking not,” Eren growled, already off the coach and striding across the living room towards Levi, “you're not going anywhere.”

“Fuck you!” Levi bellowed right back, his patience snapping like a thin thread, “stop being so fucking stubborn, you piece of shit alpha.”

“You're calling _me_ stubborn, _omega_?” Eren inquired, now having abandoned any pretence of keeping his temper in check. He squared his shoulders and drew up into the telltale sign of an alpha trying to establish dominance. “You're the one who insist on leaving while fucking broke and just before nightfall. You're so stubborn you're just dumb at this point!”

“Not all of us have the fucking luxury to sit on our asses and wait for someone else to act!” Levi retorted, meeting Eren on the middle of the floor. Eren was red in the face with frustration and the yellow tint in his eyes had an edge of gold, but Levi had not ever been afraid of an overly cocky alpha and he wasn't about to start now. A deadly quiet fell over Levi as he met Eren's gaze, the alpha's command to _stay_ still smouldering like burning coal under his skin as he openly defied him.

“Give it at least five gods damned seconds before you run off! You have no idea what type of opportunities you're missing just because you want to prove a fucking point!” Eren yelled, the heat on his face spreading to the tips of his pointed ears.

“I wouldn't have to get out of here if you could just get your fucking alpha dick under control!” Levi snarled.

“Well sorry for caring, sorry for fucking taking you with me after you tied me up and threatened me on my life, for _fuck's sake_ , and then risking getting Erwin on my ass for doing so!”

“Oh? You're really going there, _alpha_? Because I remember a certain cocksure asshole fucking _commanding_ me to follow him this morning. What the fuck kind of choice did you give me?”

“What are you even talking about? I didn't comman- uh...” A look of shocked confusion passed across Eren's face before he visibly deflated, his raised hands falling to his sides. Their volume had been so loud the absence of their raised voices left an awkward and strained silence.

“You have no fucking idea what you're doing, and yet you want me to stay,” Levi muttered, his anger seeping out of him, replaced by the familiar nothingness.

“I didn't mean to-” Eren began, but his protest faded and instead he took a step away from Levi.

“And I think we all now understand why Erwin doesn't want omegas in his clan,” Hange declared, their voice too steady and bright for the heavy atmosphere. With a grunt, Levi rubbed the palms of his hands against his face and pulled them through his hair, messing it up further.

“Yeah,” Levi acknowledged Hange's comment, “I get it.”

There wasn't really anything to pack; Levi owned absolutely nothing- not even the clothes on his back. Mikasa and Armin sat or stood in stunned silence, one by the kitchen table and the other by the counters. Their eyes were large, darting between Eren, Levi and Hange and then back again like they were expecting a small war to break out.

“Thanks,” Levi muttered as he turned around, heading towards his shoes that he hoped had dried somewhat since the rain. “Good luck on becoming a doctor, Armin.”

“Uh, no problem and thanks!” Armin called out as he awkwardly got up from his chair, looking like he wanted to follow Levi to the door, but then darted another quick glance at Eren and thought better of it.

As Levi fumbled with his shoes in the hallway by the entrance door he wondered how he'd get through the gates. Whether he needed to put in a specific code to get in contact with whoever manned the intercom or if he could just jump over the gates altogether. They hadn't been all that high and he doubted anyone would stop him from _leaving_ the turf. Either way, he was pretty certain he was nimbler and faster than anything they could set to chase after him.

“ _Please._ ”

Levi's hands stopped tying his shoelace when he heard Eren's plea mingled with a command.

Despite everything he turned to look at the man standing shrouded in the shadow of the hallway door. How someone so tall could look so small, Levi didn't know.

“Will you _please_ just stay the night? I- uhm,” Eren mumbled and rubbed at his cheek, looking at Levi, then away, then back again. “I can borrow Jean's car- so I, uh, can drive you wherever you want tomorrow morning. I promise. Just the night?”

“Eren...” Levi sighed, “I've tried to explain to you what's going on between us, so why won't you listen?”

“I know!” Eren's temper flared, but then ceased almost instantly, “I hear what you've been saying and I get it. I just... I- hm.” Eren swallowed convulsively a few times as he tried to form the words that were so difficult to speak. Abandoning the work on his shoe, Levi rose to give Eren his full attention.

“They don't know what happened... not really,” Eren whispered and tossed his head towards the living room, indicating his friends. “You're the only one who knows what happened to me and what I did- what I did to you. They don't really get it and I just... I'm uh... _Fuck_.”

It would have been easy to tell Eren that this was exactly why Levi should be leaving. That the sooner they parted ways the sooner they could try and forget the entire ordeal had happened. But the words choked in Levi's throat and all he did was stand there, unmoving and unblinking, at the threshold of a stranger's home that somehow smelled like his childhood.

A command he could have fought and ignored, but this?

Levi released the air from his lungs and forced himself to give one short nod. He'd stay the night, then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update is a bit later than I would have liked, but between being laid off from one of my jobs and having double work as a union leader at my other to make sure my co-workers don't suffer the same fate... well, March has been a long ten years as they say.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Fuck off,” Levi growled, with a warning flick of a claw against Eren's broad chest. Eren merely laughed with a red flush on his cheeks as he obediently stepped away._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy? Like a little cloud. 
> 
> Music: [Light That Match - Down Like Silver](https://open.spotify.com/track/5iiXIpA0AGJekS2sOsMBUf?si=EHUFjuRORiCSuoaV4hCOPA)

The stunned silence when Levi followed Eren back into the living room was, if possible, even heavier than the previous one until Hange chirped, “well then, Levi, I suppose you're not leaving after all!”

“We figured he could just as well stay the night,” Eren shrugged casually, but then broke into a wide grin. His entire demeanour seemed lighter, like a shadow had passed from his countenance.

Levi was already learning that whatever mood Eren was in, it dictated the atmosphere in the small home. Now that Eren was laughing and smiling everyone else loosened up and soon they had begun making dinner and Hange was invited. Beers were opened and Levi took his over to one of the lounge chairs, rather watching the goings on than participating in them. It was about seven in the evening and at this point he'd normally either be caught up in one of Isabel and Furlan's shenanigans, or relaxed back in his own bunk with a cup of tea and an audiobook.

Once the food started cooking and the smell of caramelised onion reached Levi, his stomach rumbled loudly with interest. With everything that had been going on he'd forgotten that he hadn't eaten since the fries that morning, more than twelve hours ago. Eren was busy chopping and stirring, but would stop occasionally and look at Levi, as if he just had to make sure that he was still there and hadn't suddenly evaporated.

It was making Levi uneasy. Sure, there had been clingy and demanding alphas at the compound before, but Eren was on a different level. Levi feared it wasn't only the alpha who had gotten attached to the omega this time, but also the human Eren having gotten attached to _Levi,_ somehow. Tomorrow, after he had gotten a proper night's sleep, Levi would call Desiree and hear if she knew anything that could help him out. If there were any shelters he could hunker down in or if there were any job opportunities.

In worst case scenario there were always certain types of jobs available for an omega who wasn't too fussy about their dignity. It wasn't like that hadn't already been his job at the Ackerman compound, after all. This time he could pocket and spend the money however he wished. There was a certain taste of freedom in that thought.

Sipping his beer and staring at Eren working by the stove, Levi barely noticed Hange throwing themselves down in the chair next to him.

“You're very different from the second in command at the Ackerman clan,” Levi commented without taking his eyes off the alpha. The man in questioned turned, noticed Levi was watching him and smiled bashfully. What an aggravatingly beautiful smile. Levi didn't return it.

“Am I?” Hange questioned without much curiosity in their voice, “I suppose I'm different from most people. What is your second in command like?”

“She _was_ an absolute asshole,” Levi muttered and finally smiled thinly as he remembered the nano second she had to register her final moment and the look of utter surprise on her face. “Good riddance and all that.”

“ _Ah_. I suppose the past tense is why you're here, and not there, then?” Hange inquired and took a long sip of their own beer. They hadn't missed the threat in Levi's comment if the side-eye was anything to go by.

“Yeah,” was all Levi bothered to grunt in reply. It was easier than the truth.

“He's a good kid, even if a bit of an asshat,” Hange commented after a long silence, tipping the top of their bottle towards Eren to clarify who they were talking about.

“Isn't that a bit contradictory?” Levi wondered, though from the short period he had known Eren the description seemed rather apt.

“Aren't we _all_ a bit contradictory?” Hange returned the question with their own rhetorical one, continuing to stare at Levi pointedly as they did so. He merely sighed as a means of a reply. At this point he didn't know what he was anymore. Hungry? For sure. Tired? Definitely. Stuck in a house with a guy who had stared at his asshole and the alpha who tore it in the first place? Absolutely. _What a day_.

They ate. Eren and Hange did most of the talking with a few inputs from Armin while Mikasa and Levi remained mostly quiet. Afterwards they all drank a few more beers while they sat around the kitchen table and only after quite a few pointed yawns and stretches from Armin did Hange get the clue and leave. Eren was nodding off in his chair and nearly tipped over once, but wouldn't go to bed until he had helped make up the sofa and seen that Levi sat obediently down on it, ready for sleep himself. Armin and Mikasa kept exchanging pointed looks while Eren fussed about, digging out a spare toothbrush for Levi and explaining that he could just grab whatever he wanted out of the fridge if he was hungry during the night.

In the end they all headed upstairs and Levi was left alone in the living room, lying on the couch and listening to the hum of the fridge and the creaking of the woodwork. It was still relatively early, only about half past nine, which was not even close to Levi's usual bedtime. Yet his eyes fluttered shut while his exhausted mind made the room around him swim. As his breathing grew even and his limbs heavy, Levi went out like a light-

-Light shone in Levi's eyes and for the second time since he had left the bunkers he awoke disoriented and confused. It took him several moments of looking around wildly to remember where he was. Once he did, he stretched lazily and nuzzled back into his soft pillow, just enjoying the quiet. He felt rested and light with the sunshine from the huge window warming him pleasantly. When had he last woken with the sun? Levi couldn't even remember.

A hurried pattering of feet on wood and the scent of the sea announced Eren before he was fully down the stairs. Suddenly the energetic approach turned quiet and the abrupt silence made Levi suspect that Eren was trying to sneak up on him. His guess was proven right when Eren quietly tip-toed in and looked over at the couch, only to find Levi already staring at him and his animated face fell.

“Hoped you could creepily watch me sleep again?” Levi asked lazily, not wanting to disturb the peaceful morning.

“Maybe,” Eren shrugged and grinned. The easy confession took Levi by surprise, but he hid his momentary discomposure by stretching and kicking the covers off himself before sitting up.

“Did you sleep well?” Eren asked as he rummaged around in the kitchen. Soon the heady scent of grounded coffee beans reached Levi.

“Yeah,” Levi offered, shuffling over to see what Eren was up to. There were two mugs on the counter and Eren was busy counting the scoops of coffee under his breath.

Armin had once again been generous in offering Levi a pair of pyjama bottoms and a huge t-shirt to sleep in. Now Levi stood hugging it tightly to himself as he waited for the coffee to brew. A warm hand fell on Levi's neck, startling him out of his morning stupor. Eren was tracing the edges of his scaled line with a ponderous look.

“Do all omegas have such scales?” Eren asked and pulled the neck of the t-shirt down to get a better look.

“Ever heard of personal space?” Levi bit back, but didn't bother to move away. The warm touch wasn't unpleasant, per say. “But yeah, we do, though it's something you have to be taught I suppose. It's a bit like learning to talk, or to swim; everyone can do it but you have to be shown how.”

“Who taught it to you?” Eren was taking full advantage of Levi's sleepy lack of resistance and kept stroking the sleek, black scales. The scales weren't as sensitive as his skin, but Levi could feel the heat magnified through them and struggled not to shut his eyes like a lizard on a sunning rock. The way Eren was rubbing his wrist all over him as he did so should have all his warning bells sounding. But having an alpha's scent on him while surrounded by strangers was, if anything, a tactical manoeuvre.

“Kuchel,” Levi answered Eren's inquiry, “my mother.”

“Oh.” Boldly, Eren let his fingers trail from the scales and across whatever exposed skin he could find, eventually brushing over the short hairs of Levi's undercut. Levi let Eren explore until he felt Eren's nose in his hair, inhaling his scent, and finally shoved him away with a nudge of his elbow.

“Fuck off,” Levi growled, with a warning flick of a claw against Eren's broad chest. Eren merely laughed with a red flush on his cheeks as he obediently stepped away.

“You do that so smoothly,” Eren commented and pointed at Levi's claw that was already retracting. “I can only do that if I am angry or upset and then it is already out of my control.”

“I've noticed,” Levi grunted. Feeling complacent and just for the hell of it he turned to Eren and held out his hands, pulling out his claws, teeth and scales in one rushed move. The surprise at the display had Eren take another step back, his eyes glinting gold on instinctual response. With a toss of his head, Levi had it all vanquished again and returned to his, more or less, unassuming self.

“Holy shit, that's so cool!” Eren gushed, and Levi had a hard time keeping the grin off his face at the other man's enthusiastic exclamation. “Do you think alphas have something cool like that too, but nobody taught us?”

“No,” Levi shot him down, “alphas just got bigger fangs. And muscles I suppose. Mostly just bigger everything.”

“Hah, _yeah_ we do,” Eren grinned smugly and winked at Levi suggestively.

“Oh for fuck's sake,” Levi breathed in exasperation, but it only made Eren burst into a delighted laughter.

They got their coffee, Levi's black without anything and Eren's with some frothed almond milk. Levi carried both of the mugs over to the kitchen table while Eren slipped four slices of bread into the toaster. Again, Levi found himself sitting and sipping a beverage while he watched Eren rummage around in the kitchen. It was oddly domestic. Eren produced peanut butter and jelly, as well as some cheese and pâtés and placed them on the table together with two plates. The four slices of bread were divided between them and Eren instantly put four more in the toaster. Alphas always ate like they hadn't seen food for days and still nothing of that showed as anything but muscle. Annoyed, Levi nibbled on his own toast with chickpea and garlic pâté.

Eren ended up eating an entire loaf of bread on his own, only slowing down after the tenth slice. The fact that he was eating didn't stop Eren from talking, however, and he seemed satisfied in having found a conversation partner that mostly just listened and hummed once in a while.

“So, what can you tell me about half-way houses?” Levi eventually interrupted a rant about a movie Eren had seen and hated. Eren shoved the rest of his toast into his mouth and washed it down with a glass of milk.

“Uhm, well...” he began, looking up at the ceiling as he thought about what he wanted to say, “there's a half-way house at the Trost U campus. Historia from my bio-chem class lives there with her girlfriend, Ymir. All I know is that Historia ran away from her clan because of some shit with her father, the Clan Alpha, and applied for a room at the house.”

“So you have to apply for them? Are all half-way houses linked to universities?” Levi had been aware that his knowledge of the outside world was limited, but it was starting to dawn on him just how much.

“I guess so?” Eren replied, furrowing his brow in thought and following a dent in the wooden table with a finger. His hair had been pulled up into a messy bun from which strands had fallen out and wafted around his face. Eren looked vibrant and healthy, his skin tan and his cheekbones tinged a soft red. It certainly didn't look like he escaped the bunkers of an opposing clan only yesterday and Levi found himself snorting with a mix of admiration and jealousy once again.

“You know, I could call Historia and ask her how exactly the process goes,” Eren suggested, “and if Historia doesn't know then Ymir certainly does because she's lived at half-way houses her entire life.”

Levi nodded his head slowly in both acknowledgement and gratitude.

The footsteps of Mikasa were so quiet Levi wouldn't have noticed her descending the stairs and entering the living room if it hadn't been for the distinct scent of autumn rain preceding her.

“Good morning, Mika,” Eren greeted her, though Levi and Mikasa contented themselves with nodding at each other quietly.

Pouring herself a cup of coffee Mikasa opened the bread bin only to find it empty. Throwing Eren a withering glare she eventually settled on grabbing a large bowl of yogurt instead before settling down at the table next to Levi.

“Since it's my turn to grocery shop I'll have to take the car today,” she explained to the both of them apologetically, “you okay getting Jean's car, Eren?”

“Yeah, he'll let me borrow it,” Eren replied with conviction. “That asshole owes me so many favours by now, so...”

Mikasa nodded quietly again and started to flick through her phone while eating, seemingly done with any type of conversation. Eren was squirming in his seat, looking like he really wanted to say something but was holding himself back. Levi for his part didn't feel like listening to another pleading speech of how he should stay and did his best to ignore the other occupants around the table. Eventually he just ended up staring out the window. It still unsettled him each time he happened to glance outside. The entire world was just _there_ , with the only barrier being a thin panel of glass. The dappling morning sunshine sparked memories of lazy weekend mornings when Kuchel and Levi used to eat breakfast on the coach while watching cartoons, the golden light flooding the living room and eventually obscuring the TV entirely.

“You know, Levi-” Mikasa spoke up out of nowhere, startling them all out of their individual reveries, “-I have been thinking.”

Putting her phone down on the table with the screen facing down, Mikasa put her hands in her lap and turned entirely towards Levi. Her face was still, but her eyes were clear and intent and kept Levi's undivided attention.

“Nobody doubts your ability to take care of yourself, and honestly you're the most capable person when it comes to keeping Eren's stupid ass in place-” Mikasa's expression didn't change at Eren's grunt of dismay, “-and I just don't see a logical reason for you not to stay here. At least here you'll have a roof over your head and food on the table. When it comes to survival it is just the most reasonable option, is all.”

Logically, Mikasa was absolutely right. That was, if Eren's pushy nature had been the only factor that made Levi uneasy. Logic was well an good, but logic had long since stopped dictating the situation. It had stopped the moment Levi closed the door of their cell and shot Traute in the head to save an alpha he didn't know.

Looking over at Eren, Levi found him sitting ramrod straight in his chair, eyes glassy in childish suspense, wanting to say something but not daring to in case it would blow Mikasa's carefully constructed speech.

“And what about your Clan Alpha?” Levi questioned once he had gathered his thoughts. “Hange made it pretty clear yesterday that he doesn't want any omegas on his turf.”

“He doesn't have to know,” Mikasa replied coolly and Levi had to recalibrate every preconceived notion he had made of the beta. Still waters run deep and all that.

“Y'know, at least until we figure out all the shit with the half-way houses and such,” Eren finally spoke up in a rush of words. Mikasa nodded and smiled warmly at her brother.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand what was going on. Because Mikasa loved Eren, and Eren had gotten himself a newfound fascination, Levi would have a place to lay low for a while. Mikasa was right: he'd be fucking stupid not to pounce at the opportunity. Mikasa was making it abundantly clear that he would have allies here as long as Eren was interested in keeping him around.

Levi knew he'd live to regret it, but he succumbed under their stares.

“Fine, whatever,” he grunted, though the way Eren's face lit up one would think he'd given him the world. Eren really needed to learn how to hide his emotions better, Levi thought wryly, slightly baffled that he'd be the cause for such obvious joy.

Satisfied that she had gotten her brother what he wanted, Mikasa finished her breakfast and took her bowl over to the sink. With a sharp yell upstairs, Armin came tumbling down, his blonde locks in a disarray and the marks from his pillow still on his cheek. Unperturbed by the chaotic state of her friend, Mikasa merely gave him a protein bar and promised a quick coffee stop on the way, and then they were out the door.

Silence fell after their whirlwind departure, and where Eren had previously chatted non-stop at Levi, he was now quietly taking the rest of the dishes over to the sink and washing them. If Levi didn't know any better he'd have believed Eren had gotten shy all of a sudden.

But that was absurd, wasn't it?

Leaving Eren to his weird mood, Levi headed for the downstairs bathroom to soak in another bath. The pink bubbles rose high and his scrapes only stung a bit when he sat down in the hot water, sighing in satisfaction as his tight muscles relaxed.

Unknown time passed as Levi sloshed around in the water, enjoying himself while drifting in and out of half-lucid sleep. When a timid knock at the door brought him back to the present, Levi honestly wasn't all that surprised. The fact that there was another bathroom somewhere in the house meant that there was only one reason for the alpha to be standing outside that door.

“What?” Levi barked, sounding more tired than angry.

“Can I come in?” Eren questioned and Levi had to rub furiously at his face to stem his temper. That alpha would be the death of him.

“Do whatever you want, it's your house,” Levi replied, because the only thing more awkward than having the alpha hoovering inside the bathroom was having him hoovering _outside_ it.

Eren opened the door cautiously and stared at it for a moment, “huh, I figured you would have locked it?”

The thought hadn't even occurred to Levi. There were no locks on his door back at the compound. There didn't have to be because alphas quickly learned not to invade his privacy. Why was Eren becoming an exception to every fucking rule Levi had ever lived by?

“I figured I could shave down here,” Eren said, moving over to the sink and opening the cabinet above the sink.

“While I'm in the bath?” Levi asked, deadpan.

“I didn't know you were in the bath,” Eren tried to look innocent, his large, green eyes blinking slowly. The redness on his cheeks were crawling across his face and onto his pointed ears.

“Yes, you fucking did,” Levi sighed. What a terrible liar. “Do you really want to see me naked that much?”

Levi's sly comment made Eren's eyes grow wide as he was checking out his dark stubble in the mirror, but he pulled himself together quickly.

“I remember what you look like naked, thanks,” Eren retaliated a tad smug, tapping the razor against the sink to dislodged some old hairs. Surprised by the sudden comeback, Levi couldn't help but laugh out loud, the sharp sound echoing around them. But of course Eren couldn't keep a straight face for long, his own lips pulling back and revealing a pair of sharpened canines.

“Have been enjoying yourself with that imagery, have you?” Levi asked, dropping his voice an octave with suggestive intent and while reclining in the tub he watched Eren shaving from under hooded eyes. Call it boredom, but he was on a mission of trying to see just how red Eren could become.

“You're very confident in your own attractiveness,” Eren hummed, still with that infuriatingly pretty smile. He had applied way too much shaving cream and some of it was dripping down on his shirt, making him swear softly.

“Why wouldn't I be?” Levi drawled, “I have never had a reason to doubt it.”

“I wish I could have that type of confidence,” Eren laughed, spilling even more shaving cream on himself and on the floor. Anywhere but the sink, apparently.

“Why don't you? You're very handsome,” Levi shrugged, “though I suppose you have more of the dumb but pretty thing going on.”

Relaxing back down in the rose scented water, Levi observed Eren gaping his mouth open and shut several times like a fish out of water from the corner of his eye. It was difficult not to laugh, but he managed.

“I don't know if you just complimented me or not,” Eren eventually sighed. He wasn't getting very far in his shaving endeavour and it wasn't helping him much that most of his attention was on Levi in the bath, rather than his own reflection.

The sensation of hot water against his skin had always been something Levi loved. As a kid he had spent an inordinate amount of time in the bath, to the point where Kuchel had to start setting timers and a schedule. After Kuchel died and Levi ended up moving in with Kenny, baths had become somewhat of a sacred ritual. The water soft and cleansing against the skin that no longer belonged to himself.

But there were no longer an alpha commanding him.

It was an obvious fact, but the thought struck Levi like a lightningbolt, bringing with it both unbound relief and stifling fear.

Relief that he was now only beholden to himself. Fear, because he couldn't remember a time when he had been before.

“Hey, what'ya thinking so madly about?” Eren questioned from the sink where he was still struggling with the shaving cream and razor. “You look like you're ready to kill.”

“I'm always ready to kill,” Levi answered distantly, slowly extracting himself from the thoughts that were churning so heavily it felt like they would pull him under. His eyes finally focused and fell on the mess Eren was making of the bathroom.

“For fuck's sake,” he growled and rose up from the bath, “you're a grown ass man and you don't even know how to shave.”

Pulling down the towel he had used yesterday from where it hung on a rack on the wall, Levi dried off while pointing at the lid of the toilet, “sit down.”

Eren did as commanded and to Levi's annoyance it only made them at height. Pushing his hair back and wrapping the towel around his waist, Levi took the razor from Eren and used a flannel to wipe off the worst of the shaving cream. The alpha was quiet as Levi gripped his chin and moved his head to the side. Despite his outward calm, the golden glint in Eren's eyes betrayed his feelings in regards to the close proximity to the omega. Levi's skin was already hot after the warm bath, but Eren's felt nearly scolding to the touch. He burned like a furnace, and Levi wasn't oblivious to how Eren's hands kept twitching like he could barely hold himself back from touching Levi.

Rinsing the razor in the sink, Levi focused his full attention on shaving the little bit of stubble Eren had boasted that morning. Grooming was important. Being clean was important. And Levi was doing that for Eren. His jaw tightened in annoyance when he felt his ears twitch. _Tch_.

A warm touch against his leg diverted Levi's attention from his own inner world and down on Eren's hand that had lost the battle of will. Tanned skin brushed lightly against pearly white and bruised skin, kneading ever so carefully the part of Levi's thigh that was not covered by the towel. Levi raised a chastising brow at Eren who only looked mildly abashed.

“Is it like this for all alphas?” Eren asked quietly, letting Levi push his chin up as he continued his effort in shaving him. “I mean, this almost magnetic pull... uhm, this need to be around you at all times?”

“Oh, so you're finally admitting that's why you interrupted my bath?” Levi murmured in reply and turned to rinse the razor again. “I have warned you many, many times, _alpha_ , that you'd be feeling this way.”

“Why is it like this though?” Eren mused, a small wrinkle appearing between his heavy brows. “It doesn't really make any sense, does it? Is it just because we... uhm-”

“Fucked?”

Eren's gold and green eyes snapped back to Levi's face. While they were trapped in the cell together Eren had used, or tried to use, the word rape, and Levi supposed... Levi didn't know what he supposed. Who was the victim and who was the perpetrator? Levi knew from years of experience that it was a dangerous slip and slide to head down, and at the bottom of it was only darkness. What had been had been. They had gotten out of the cell physically, now it only remained to extract themselves mentally.

“I don't understand how you can seem so casual about it all...” Eren murmured and turned his head for Levi to continue without needing to be prompted.

“You forget that's been my life for many years,” Levi replied simply. “And that just because things are different in this clan doesn't mean that your life is the norm.”

Eren seemed to mull this over at length, his face darkening gradually as he did. “So... what you're telling me is that all over Trost, omegas are being used as bait, essentially, to lure in alphas?” Eren's voice rumbled in an almost-growl and his canines extended to push at his bottom lip.

“Pretty much,” Levi agreed, “the Clan Wars might ostensibly be at a cease-fire, but that doesn't mean the Clan Alphas have stopped gathering armies for when it inevitably breaks out again. You just happen to live in a clan that doesn't need that type of conscription.”

Eren's errant hand began kneading Levi's thigh harder, seemingly on its own accord while Eren himself was preoccupied with this new information, gaze glassy and far away. It would have been easy to push the hand away, but Levi let it be.

“ _Don't the omegas form a connection, too?”_ Mikasa's question echoed in Levi's mind. What a stupid fucking question. Wouldn't that just have been the saddest fucking shit ever, if that was the case?

“There. Done!” Levi declared, slapping Eren's cheek to get his attention. “Now you look like an actual adult and not a kid who borrowed his dad's razor.”

Golden eyes met gunmetal blue, and a slow smile full of pure adoration spread across Eren's face radiating brighter than the sun. Levi would have looked away from it if he only could.

“You're going to get your heart broken in the future if you keep on carrying it on your sleeve like this,” Levi admonished him, his voice not sounding as stern as he'd liked.

“It already is,” Eren replied wistfully, but without hesitation.

“Don't be so dramatic,” Levi groaned and finally pulled away from the alpha.

“What? I thought that sounded rather poignant,” Eren declared, grabbing the wet flannel and washing off the remainder of the shaving cream with a teasing glimmer in his eyes. Levi merely rolled his own.

The rest of the day passed neither quickly nor slowly. Without perimeters to guard, omegas to watch, alphas to put in place, the need to delegate clothing, feeding and other conveniences as well as jobs and duties, Levi was at a loss as to what to do with his free time. What did people in the Smith clan do? A bit of prodding revealed that Armin was doing his residency at Trost Hospital while Eren was finishing a post grad in biochemistry. Levi didn't know whether to be disgusted or impressed at the amount of time they had chosen to spend on education. His only memory from school was that he had loved doing his maths homework, and that his teacher used to put little star stickers on his worksheets. Mikasa was the only one in the household who had a job, working full time as an art consultant at a large PR firm. Again, that held no meaning to Levi, but Eren explained that there wasn't really any need for her to work, she just liked to do it.

Eren eventually grew tired of Levi's restless shuffling around the living room in a search for something to do and _commanded_ him to sit down on the couch. It pissed Levi off, but after a moment he gave in and let his body submit to the burning need the commend had caused, folding itself obediently on the couch. Let someone else take control for a bit, Levi thought as he took the plastic contrivance Eren handed him. It was full of buttons and when Eren turned on the television a blue light shone on it.

“Have you played Red Dead 2 yet?” Eren asked and plonked down right next to Levi, drawing his feet up onto the couch and crossing them.

“If I have played what?” Levi asked dumbly as he pressed the buttons that didn't seem to do much.

“Here, give me the controller,” Eren demanded and took the plastic box, expertly moving the sticks and pressing the buttons until the screen changed. “You wanna play on normal or easy mode?”

“Uhm,” Levi replied intelligently.

“Easy then,” Eren laughed and pressed some more buttons. “The tutorial is a bit slow, but once you get into the open world it's really fun.”

“Uh huh,” Levi murmured and took the controller again. He peered at all the text on the screen and pursed his lips in annoyance. Levi hated reading, but Eren was already engrossed in a small screen of his own and once the characters started talking it got a bit easier to engage in.

Levi pressed buttons like the screen told him to, he talked to people, rode a horse, killed some wolves and by the time he managed to rip his attention away from the screen and over to Eren, he found the other man fast asleep on the couch next to him. The command of sitting down was still burning through Levi's body and he let the warmth of it engulf him. No need to fight it, at least not just yet. His head felt heavy and he let it fall backwards against the backrest, his eyes drooping shut on their own accord. Since he didn't know how to save or turn off the game, Levi let the looping music roll over them as he too, fell asleep.

The sound of a key turning in the entrance door woke him unknown hours later, but by the chink in his neck Levi could guess that he had been sleeping for quite some time. Eren was still sleeping like someone had knocked him over the head with a blunt object, a small trail of drool running from his mouth and into his hair.

“I'm home!” Mikasa's soft voice called from the hallway before she appeared herself. She was juggling several bags of groceries that looked quite heavy and Levi instinctively moved to get up to help her, but the command was binding him to the couch. What a bother.

“Wake up, asshole,” Levi hissed at Eren and slapped the long leg that had somehow made its way into his lap. With a grunt, Eren opened his eyes and stared at Levi with a look of befuddled confusion before recognition dawned.

“I'm happy to see you two haven't killed each other yet,” Mikasa commented drily as she placed two of the heavy bags on the counter.

“Can I get up from the couch?” Levi asked pointedly at Eren whose face fell right back into confusion.

“Of course you can, what-?” he replied, rubbing at the drool on his cheek and grunting slightly when Levi threw his leg off.

There were more bags out in the hallway and Levi helped Mikasa by carrying them to the counter and unpacking them. Being unproductive an entire day sat wrong with him and here he was mooching off their home and food without any conceivable way of paying them back. Letting his gaze travel around the room he tried to conjure up something that he was good at that could help. There were dust on the framed pictures on the wall, crumbs lining the kitchen counters, oil splatter on the wall behind the stove. With a small, satisfied nod to himself, Levi knew what he'd spend tomorrow doing.

When Mikasa asked politely how their day had been, Eren told her honestly that they had mostly just played games and slept, at which point she chuckled then sighed. Apparently that wasn't an uncommon reply.

Since Mikasa had bought the groceries it was Eren's turn to make dinner and Levi put himself on the job of cutting vegetables. It was to be something called fajitas, apparently. Levi's mind was buzzing while his hands worked on automatic. The entire exchange between him, Mikasa and Eren had been so fucking _normal_. It felt like everyone's jigsaw piece had fallen straight back into place while his was lying askew and to the side while they all just pretended not to notice. Levi could sense the same discordance in Eren. He didn't know the other man beyond the events that had transpired the last couple of days, but the scent of brine wafting off him told Levi everything he needed. That scent had stung his nose in the bunker, had surrounded him while eating fries at the diner and though it sometimes let up, it seemed to come back whenever Eren was left alone to think for too long. Levi wondered whether Eren noticed the same fluctuating scents in him as well.

With these thoughts churning, Levi's hands moved on their own, deftly gutting and chopping the bell peppers in suitable pieces while Eren stood by the stove, overseeing the chicken.

“You're really good at that,” Eren commented after a while and pointed the spatula at the small pile of colourful peppers.

“Yeah, I'm on kitchen duty every other day,” Levi answered automatically, the words not registering in his own ears immediately. “Or- I used to be, I suppose,” he amended lamely and started on the button mushrooms.

“I find it fucking crazy that you lived this completely different life before I met you,” Eren said, making Levi snort. “It just feels like you've always been here... though at the same time, _not_. That doesn't make any sense, does it?”

“No, it really doesn't,” Levi agreed with feeling. It didn't make any sense. It didn't make sense that it felt okay to chop button mushrooms next to an alpha from the Smith clan, yet there he was.

Armin had come home by the time dinner was done and they had a repeat of the previous evening, sans Hange. They all talked about upcoming exams, papers that had to be written, deadlines that were looming and professors and bosses that were assholes. Levi let their voices wash over him as he quietly ate, once in a while looking over at Eren's animated face while he spoke.

Tomorrow Levi would clean the house, get Eren to call his friend about the half-way houses and question Mikasa on how to get a job. Levi had wanted to be a veterinarian at one point, though he supposed that was an impossibility now. He briefly entertained the idea of trying to go back to the compound and several different scenarios of what would happen played out in his mind. None of them were good. Kenny might let him back in, but at what cost? What would Levi's punishment be? Down in the bunkers Levi had known no other life, he had forgotten most of his childhood and that there even existed a world outside the perimeters. It had all been about survival and taking one day at a time. Now, he had more options.

A large hand entered his field of view before tilting his chin up and following the arm up to Eren's face he found the alpha watching him carefully. So he could smell Levi's turmoil, then. _Great_.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Can you guys just shut the fuck up,” Eren growled, “you're embarrassing yourselves.”_
> 
> _“Naw man, your alpha is showing,” Connie laughed, unfazed by Eren's aggression._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written to: [Shiver by Adna](https://open.spotify.com/track/3eSRCdZqeuvwYGJf3QDpn6?si=_D_yk-fVSKSxZYooo2zVFg)

The cleaning products were scattered all around the house. Levi was grumbling to himself as he found a bucket in the closet in the hallway, soap in the cabinet in the first floor bathroom, sponges and washing cloths in the bathroom upstairs, and finally the duster randomly under the coffee table. Absolute anarchy.

The house was quiet after everybody left that morning. Three days had passed since they escaped the Ackerman turf and Eren had decided that he was tired of being cooped up inside. When he had declared his intention of going to class at breakfast he had been resolute about it, but when the time came for him to leave together with Mikasa and Armin he had stopped dead on the threshold. Suddenly there were lots of things he needed to do at home and only a concentrated effort between Mikasa and Armin got him outside. Levi slammed the door in his face with a “fuck off” and locked it.

Levi had worked up the courage of opening the windows in the kitchen as he cleaned and the smell of soap and sun on grass pleasantly permeated the house. The window turned out towards a large field which lent the house some semblance of privacy. It wasn't really something Levi was used to, but it was welcome non the less.

Humming softly to himself, Levi stood on a stool to reach the top of the cupboards to dust, clicking his tongue in disgust when he saw just how dirty it was. A sudden sound of knocking on the door broke through the peaceful atmosphere. Carefully and without making a sound, Levi climbed down from the stool and edged towards a corner of the kitchen. The knocking repeated itself, though this time more insistently.

“ _Nobody is home you idiot,”_ Levi thought annoyed, wondering how long he would be forced to hide before the person got the hint.

Seconds ticked by without anything happening, eventually allowing Levi to breathe out in relief.

“Heya there, Levi! How goes it?”

Having stood staring at the hallway, ears cocked and attention completely on the entrance door, Levi hadn't noticed or heard anyone by the window. The sudden voice had his heart in his throat and he whirled around, fangs and claws at the ready. Only the slight familiarity of the voice stopped him from eviscerating the person then and there.

“Woah there! You're a scary boy, huh?” Hange chirped as they stood staring in through the window like that was normal behaviour. “It is me- Hange!” they unnecessarily added and held up their hands in a gesture of peace.

“I could have killed you,” Levi growled and retracted his claws, though his fangs still remained. He had met Hange before, but that didn't mean he knew them or trusted them.

“Wouldn't be your first time killing a second in command, now would it?” Hange said and laughed at their own joke. Grabbing the windowsill, they unceremoniously climbed inside, seemingly not caring if they tore or dirtied their brown tweed suit in the effort. Levi watched in horror as they dropped down on his clean kitchen floor with their dirty loafers.

“No, get the fuck out!” Levi demanded and pointed at the insulting footwear in question.

“Oops,” Hange laughed and quickly kicked them off before sauntering into the living room area like they owned the place. Being the second in command Levi supposed they did in a way. Hange certainly had more of a right being there than him, but that didn't stop him from hissing in exasperation.

“What the fuck do you want?” Levi growled as he stalked after the beta. Their shoes might be off, but that didn't mean they couldn't mess something else up.

“What do I want?” repeated Hange and turned around, clasping their hands together and brown eyes glinting behind their spectacles. “I want every little thing you can tell me, of course. I want to know how you tick and tock, little omega, and how you managed to sneak your way into my clan right under Erwin's nose. What type of omegan magic are you using to ensnare us all, hmm?”

Somewhere in Hange's spiel Levi's mouth had dropped open and had been promptly snapped shut again.

“What the fuck?” was all he managed to murmur and the peals of Hange's laughter descended over him.

“I notice you say fuck a lot when you're uncomfortable,” Hange pointed out once they were done laughing. “That's a learned habit, you know.”

“Ask your fucking questions and get the fuck out, fucker,” Levi said, stressing each fuck to the best of his ability. “Though I take it you decided to sneak in here when you saw Eren leaving. Does the big, bad alpha scare you?”

Now it was Hange's turn to gape in surprise, though they quickly schooled their features back into one of mild humour.

“He can be a bit _intense_ sometimes, yes,” Hange admitted and sat down on the couch, fishing out their notebook again. “You're not scared of him? As an omega and- ...everything I am guessing happened between the two of you?”

“That's a rather personal thing to start of on,” Levi muttered. He was debating whether he should show hospitality in a home that wasn't even his and set some water on the stove for tea.

“Yes, during my anthropological research I've learned that direct questioning are really the only way to get people to talk,” Hange sighed. “People just love twisting the truth and to paint reality with new colours of their own making. Like they can somehow redo what has happened if they lie enough.”

Hange was obviously not going anywhere, so Levi decided that if nothing else then _he_ needed a cup of strong tea and commenced on making it.

“So! The questions,” Hange started and put their pen eagerly to paper. Now that Eren wasn't there to growl at them, Hange seemed adamant in getting anything they could out of Levi. “It is assumed that omegas are physically weaker than both betas and alphas, yet Eren seemed to think you were very capable of protecting yourself. Your fighting stance when I surprised you also indicates that you have plenty of experience in combat, and you carry yourself with a certain assurance that nothing can harm you. You say alphas have a tendency to stick around omegas they form a connection to, but was reluctant to answer Mikasa's question on whether or not omegas form a connections as well. Is that because they don't, or because it is a sore topic for you? And-”

The never ending questions stopped when Levi slammed a mug of tea down on the coffee table in front of Hange and sat down in the chair opposite them. Crossing his legs and throwing an arm over the backrest, he stared at the beta through the black fringe of his hair.

“You're pissing me off,” he announced.

“I'm sorry,” Hange smiled pleasantly, “I'll make this a bit easier for you: do you want Erwin to know you're here or not?”

Again, Levi felt his mouth threatening to fall open and he took a long sip of his tea to cover his discomposure. Damn, the people in this clan were not fucking about. He couldn't help but smile slightly in appreciation at how easily Hange had managed to manipulate him into a corner.

“Well in that case,” he drawled and stretched a bit, giving himself time to align his thoughts. “Sure, alphas and betas are probably physically stronger than omegas, but we're faster, more nimble and better at adapting on the spot. We are made to fight, after all.”

“Interesting,” Hange breathed as they leaned forward, writing furiously and completely forgetting about their tea. “Because most books on the subject outline their theses on the social dynamics as alphas being the protector and aggravator, the betas the builder and farmer while the omega are the nurser, aka the least capable of fighting.”

“Books are usually full of bullshit,” Levi clicked his tongue in disgust. “I don't think I am wrong in assuming none of those books were written by an omega, huh?”

The pen stilled and Hange looked up at Levi, thoughts appearing to fly by in their head at a hundred miles per hour.

“I think you're pretty much right about that, yeah,” they said with awe in their voice and looked down at their notebook as if they were seeing it for the first time. “I hadn't even thought about that.... that changes _everything,_ Levi.”

Sipping is tea slowly, Levi thought that would slow Hange down in their torrents of questioning, but it turned out it did anything but. In their excitement, Hange declared that they would write an entirely new book, this time closely working together with an omega's first had account; namely Levi's.

By the time Levi had told Hange no for the twentieth time the front door burst open and Eren arrived like a small freight train.

“I'm home!” he bellowed and Levi could hear the two thunks of his sneakers being vigorously kicked off. It made Levi happier than it should to see some of the excited colour drain out of Hange's face. Getting up from his chair, Levi slunk across the living room to greet Eren in the entrance hall.

“We have visitors,” Levi told Eren silkily as the alpha entered the living room.

“What? Who?” Eren growled and peered over Levi to find Hange waving at him from the couch. “What are you doing here?”

Hange rolled their eyes before getting up from the couch and squaring their shoulders. Even in the ridiculous tweed suit they did cut a rather nice figure, Levi noted, and a beta didn't raise to second in command without reason.

“I'm visiting with a potential future member of this clan,” Hange declared and snapped their notebook shut with a soft thud.

Once they had left, Eren began hounding Levi around instead asking just as many questions as Hange had, but this time in regards to what he had been doing with his day and what Hange had pestered him about. Since Levi didn't have his own room that he could seek refuge in, he ended up barricading himself in the bathroom. Eren stood outside for a while, but eventually even he realised how creepy that was and disappeared somewhere in the house.

The days continued in much the same vein and despite the unprecedented situation, Levi found himself creating a routine. During the day he would dodge questions from Hange and sit on Armin's iPad that he got to borrow, trying to figure out how things worked in the “real world” as Eren called it. It was slow going since Levi wasn't particularly good at reading, but once he managed to tune Hange out he figured out how to apply for copies of his birth certificate and what his social security number was. The latter being essential if he was to apply for housing or jobs according to Mikasa.

In the evenings he took his baths. Sometimes alone, but mostly with Eren reading or playing games on his handheld console. They didn't talk much in those quiet hours and eventually Levi tended to doze off. An unspoken agreement had been made between them in which Levi locked the door if he wanted peace, but left it open if Eren was welcome inside.

The nights were different. Levi would often startle awake and be absolutely certain he'd heard Kenny's voice. Heard his commands. In those moments Levi would sit up from the couch and be halfway towards the entrance door before he woke completely. It was difficult to calm down after that with the phantom command burning through his blood, calling him home. His mind kept on conjuring reasons why he should go back, telling him that Kenny would forgive him and that everything would go back to normal. But whatever trick his mind was trying to play on him ended up playing itself because Levi did not want to go back to normal. Not for anything. The novel idea that his body was now his own to do with as he wished, to take whatever partner that he wanted, kept on descending on him like a revelation. Every time he stood under the soft bathroom lights, going over his quickly healing scrapes and bruises and not seeing any new ones appear, he was reminded that there would never be more if he didn't want them. No more bite and claw marks from too eager alphas frustrated that they couldn't lay their mark of claim on him.

In those quiet days Levi found himself existing in a vacuum where he belonged to nobody, and slowly but surely he let himself taste the happiness of that. The stillness lasted for a bit over a week, which was honestly longer than Levi had thought it would.

As was now his habit during the evenings, Levi lounged lazily in the bath, though this time with a locked door because Eren had gotten too pushy again. Nearly dozing off, he was awoken by several loud voices drowning out the quiet music from whatever game Eren had been playing in the living room.

“So where is she then, Jaeger?” a cocky male voice near shouted and Levi sat bolt up right in the tub.

“Yeah, where is she? I'm so excited I can barely contain myself, actually!” a softer, feminine voice added.

“Where is who?” Eren questioned, but the alpha's growl carried all the way to the bathroom and Levi doubted he was able to fool anyone with such an obvious display of protective aggression.

“The omega,” the male voice clarified, “we know she's here.”

“Imagine Eren having an omega,” the girl said, “hey, d'you still have those yummy crisps from last time?”

“No Sasha, you ate it all,” Eren growled, “now get out of my house.”

“Woah, what a 'tude my man,” a second male voice laughed, “we heard rumours and had to check it out, ya dig?”

“I don't dig. Get out.”

“If that isn't a confession then I don't know what is,” the cocky voice declared, and Levi had to silently agree.

“Well where did this wild rumour come from then?” Eren questioned and by the sound of it he had been inching closer to the bathroom door. Levi heaved himself out of the tub with a sigh. Any moment now Eren would come barging in to make sure Levi hadn't mysteriously disappeared while he was out of the alpha's sight.

“Hange, actually,” the woman named Sasha revealed. It sounded like she had found something else to eat. “We were over at Hange's and Connie said we were heading over to check up on you, but Hange said that wasn't such a good idea, so Jean asked why, and Hange said ' _nothing in particular_ ', so obviously Jean pressed them for more info-” loud clinking of glass and the sound of a cupboard being closed, “-while Hange kept on trying to hide some books they were reading that were all about omegas, so I ask ' _hey, did Eren get himself an omega or somethin_ ' _? Is that why he's out of bounds all of a sudden?_ ' and Hange yelled _'how did you know!?'_ and so here we are.”

The only response Eren had to that was a loud groan of defeat echoed mentally by Levi inside the bathroom.

“Do we get to see the omega or no?” the girl named Sasha asked, “I have never seen one before so it's really exciting.”

“You've met an omega before,” the second guy asserted, “d'you remember the ginger girl from our class? What's her name... Petra! She's an omega.”

“What? Really? I would never have guessed... but I still want to meet Eren's omega.”

“He's not _my_ omega!” Eren declared, “he is nobody's omega. Levi is his own person.”

Levi raised his brows in surprise at Eren's outburst while he pulled on a well-used pair of sweatpants. It wasn't often one got to hear that kind of spiel from an alpha of all things.

“It's a guy?” Sasha chirped, “well that settles it then! I have never met a _male_ omega before.”

“Ugh, I hate you guys,” Eren groaned, but it was obvious to anyone listening that he had lost. “Hang on, I'll _ask_ him okay, if he says no it's a no.”

The strangers all chorused their agreement and Eren knocked politely on the door. Unlocking it, Levi sighed and scowled at Eren when the alpha opened it and peered inside.

“I never get to finish my baths,” Levi complained sourly as he pulled on a t-shirt from Armin's seemingly unending supply.

“Well you do spend like- _hours_ in here,” Eren argued. His eyes were glowing golden and his fangs were longer than normal, signalling that his temper was on edge.

Even through the soapy water Levi could smell the tangy brine on Eren. Nerves coiled in his own stomach and before he could second guess himself, he stepped up to the alpha and bent his neck in a supplicating manner. The gesture read “ _look, I am fine, you can calm the fuck down._ ” The effect was immediate. Eren hesitantly brushed the warm pads of his fingertips against Levi's exposed neck and a fresh sea breeze replaced the smell of brackish water. Goosebumps broke out all across Levi's exposed skin and only through self-discipline did he stop a shivering breath escaping his mouth in a gasp.

“Some of my dumb friends are here,” Eren murmured with golden wonder in his eyes, “and they really want to meet you. I'll kick 'em out if you think that's better.”

“From what I heard they don't seem like the type to be deterred for very long,” Levi interjected, straightening up now that he had sufficiently calmed the alpha down. Eren didn't remove his hand and Levi let it stay there for the time being.

They stood there doing nothing at all, merely breathing in each others scent and trying to read what they could from it. The frown that resurfaced on Eren's face told Levi that he had caught the slight nervousness Levi was feeling despite his bravado. He had known that his presence there would be revealed sooner rather than later, but he wasn't entirely sure how to handle it. Would Eren let him go if push came to shove? Or would he have to fight his way out? And despite both Mikasa and Armin being essentially good people, their loyalty was first and foremost to Eren. These thoughts churned through Levi, almost undoing his previous job of calming Eren down. Shaking his head, Levi composed himself again. Whatever happened, he'd be able to fight it. Always had and always would.

“Don't worry Levi, I'm here,” Eren whispered as they exited the bathroom. Levi didn't know how to deal with that statement so he opted to ignore it.

In the living room stood three strangers, a young woman busy munching on some crisps, a guy with a buzzcut and a huge alpha. He was both tall and broad and the way he handled himself showed that he knew his sheer size would keep most people in check. Like a bloodhound his attention snapped directly to Levi and his sniff was not subtle, neither was the golden glow in his eyes. His scent surprised Levi however, who had expected something strong and musky but instead was met with minty chocolate. The two betas hardly had a scent worth noting at all and Levi was unable to differentiate them either way.

“These are my _friends-_ ” Eren started the introductions, but the way he said friends indicated that he was currently questioning the term, “-Sasha,” he pointed at the woman, “-Connie,” the guy with a buzzcut, “-and Jean,” the giant alpha. “Everybody, this is Levi.”

Sasha and Connie waved at him while Jean settled on a smirk. Levi returned it with a nod and sat down on the couch, grabbing the controller off the coffee-table with the intent to ignore them altogether.

“Gosh he's so pretty, though... like a _doll_ ,” Sasha blabbered, “are all omegas that small and cute?”

“Yeah, _duh._ Don't you remember sex ed. back in school?” Connie retorted, “they had like graphs of the sizes and shit. Omegas are supposed to be tiiiiny, I guess even the males-”

“Can you guys just shut the fuck up,” Eren growled, “you're embarrassing yourselves.”

“Naw man, your alpha is showing,” Connie laughed, unfazed by Eren's aggression.

Sasha and Connie's squabbling over the details of omega biology went to show how little exposure they must have had to the dynamic while growing up. There had been three omegas in Levi's class during elementary, but of course that had been before puberty hit and dynamics didn't play much of a role then. After the Clan Wars, clans had begun guarding their omegas much more jealously. Keeping them on the turf and not letting them out into _no dym_ society, much like Levi had been. He supposed there was a reason Sasha and Connie were ignorant.

Trying to tune their nattering out, Levi focused on the controller in his hand and the images on the screen. This was one of the games that only demanded solving puzzles or fighting monsters; strategy rather than reading. Those were his favourites. The game currently paused was one Eren had struggled with for the past week. It was in the middle of a boss battle, but Levi didn't care much. Unpausing, it took perhaps only a second before the character lay dead on the floor.

“Oh no, I hadn't saved that in at least half an hour,” Eren pouted as Levi re-spawned.

“Sucks for you,” he smirked, finding an unreasonable amount of fun in teasing Eren.

The couch dipped and the scent of chocolate grew stronger. Side-eyeing the new alpha, Levi grit his teeth. Now that Jean was sitting right next to him the sheer size of him compared to Levi became even more apparent. Jean leaned back and draped both his arms across the backrest in a not subtle display of assertion. If he wanted to piss Eren off he was doing a great job of it, Levi mused.

“What are you doing?” Eren growled as if on cue, but his aggression was only met with a raised eyebrow and a cocky smile from Jean.

“We came all this way to meet the omega, so I am going to talk to him,” Jean explained casually and flipped some of his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes.

“What do you mean “came all this way”?” Eren groused and crossed his arms over his chest, “you live right across the street.”

“It was a mental journey,” Jean teased and turned away from Eren, placing all his focus on Levi. “Is your name actually Levi or was Eren being a dipshit?”

“Levi is correct,” Levi murmured, only paying half attention to their conversation since he was trying to learn the combat mechanics without having played the game before.

“You're honestly telling me your mom called you up after a pair of jeans?” The guy named Jean teased, “did she hate you that much?”

“Maybe,” Levi shrugged, “apparently that's what my dad wore when they hooked up. She didn't know his name so she just named me Levi after them.”

“What, really?!” Jean exclaimed and sat up properly, his goldenbrown eyes large and mouth hanging open while he was trying to discern if Levi was shitting him or not.

Levi shrugged again. It wasn't all that far from the truth. Kenny had told him once that his father's name had been Strauss, but Kuchel had thought that an ugly ass name and called him Levi instead. Levi still didn't know if Kenny had been joking, but it did sound like Kuchel's shitty sense of humour so he wouldn't put it past her.

“Well it beats being named _Jean_ ,” Levi declared and heard Eren laugh behind them. He had been helping Sasha reach the crisps on the top shelf and boil water for Connie's ramen noodles. The reflection on the dark screen allowed Levi to see everything that was going on behind them, but his dual attention got him killed again in the game and he swore softly under his breath.

“Give me the controller- I'll show you how it's done,” Jean declared and held out his hand.

“Fuck off,” Levi muttered, growing stubborn. He'd beat this game even if it took him all night.

“I said: _give it to me_ ,” Jean commanded.

The words shot through Levi like a blaze, sizzling through his veins and snagging at his brain, dominating him with the need to obey. Time seemed to stop as Levi turned towards the other alpha and slammed the controller into his limp hand. Jean's face was slack in shock at what he had just managed to do.

A vicious growl was the only warning either of them got before Eren descended on Jean with his claws and fangs at full display. With red-tinted eyes, Eren had grown even larger, his shirt stretching as he hooked his arms around Jean and lifted him off the couch before throwing him to the floor with a loud crack. Scales were instinctively covering Levi's skin and he hissed in disbelief when he saw the wooden floor splintering where Jean's back had connected with it. Eren wasn't fucking about, he was out to kill that asshole.

But if Levi had thought Jean to be large as a human, he found himself backing away into the coffee-table as the gigantic alpha threw himself over Eren.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” Mikasa yelled as she came running down the stairs, taking in the fight that was quickly getting out of control.

“Uhm, Eren sort of just lost it,” Sasha squeaked as she edged around the room towards Mikasa. “I don't think this is like their usual fights! Should we get Erwin?”

Jean had a tight grip on Eren's hair and his elongated teeth were ready to rip into his throat, but Eren managed to stop him with his own fanged maw. With a vicious swipe, Eren was about to retaliate by gutting Jean's lower stomach, but the larger alpha managed to twist just in time to keep his intestines on the inside. Though Jean was both larger and more muscular than Eren, the smaller alpha was without a doubt more ferocious. With a growl he shoved Jean back down onto the floor, raining blows on Jean who did his best to protect his head from punches that could quite literally crush his skull.

“Fuck it, I am getting Erwin,” Connie announced and began sprinting towards the door.

“Wait!” Levi demanded. They were just alphas and even if Eren was bordering on a red rage, Levi had experienced that before and lived.

As engaged as they were in trying to rip each other's throats out, neither Jean nor Eren noticed the small omega prowl up to them. Lips drawing back to showcase his nail-sharp teeth, Levi administered a quick punch to Eren's throat, forcing the alpha to withdraw in order to regain his breath. Hunched over and gagging, Eren's face quickly turned red in mounting panic as his windpipe swelled up.

Realising that Eren was now encumbered, Jean got up and readied himself to pounce, but was stopped in his effort when Levi's knee connected with his nose. Falling backwards again, blood splattered across the broken floor and the alpha writhed in pathetic pain.

“Stupid fucking alphas,” Levi growled at the two men who struggled to breathe, moaning and spluttering as they tried to understand what had happened to them so suddenly.

Falling back on his ass and looking up at Levi, Eren had gotten his normal green eyes back though there were several broken blood vessels after his effort at breathing with a busted windpipe. Had Levi done that to a _no dym_ they would probably have needed medical attention, but Eren was an alpha and a rather physically fit one as well. He'd bounce back in no time.

Jean was in a worse predicament since his nose was most likely broken and would need a seeing to if it was to heal straight. They managed to haul his ass up onto a chair by the kitchen table and gave him ample amounts of paper towels and a bag of frozen blueberries to battle the swelling. Jean complained all the while.

“Fucking hell. If I knew omegas had that kind of bite to 'em I'd stay well away,” he groaned nasally.

“Serves you right for messing with him in the first place,” Eren whispered back and grimaced in pain, his vocal chords swollen and tight.

“Honestly though, I seriously had no idea that thing with the controller would happen,” Jean spluttered at Levi, “I'm _really_ sorry.”

Jean's expression was mostly a contortion of pain, but there was honest regret in those goldebrown eyes of his. An apology was certainly more than Eren had ever given him, Levi thought, and gave the man in question a pointed look. Eren ducked his head, understanding that in this scenario he did not stand on a moral high ground.

“Don't worry about it, you alphas are all the same,” Levi groused, not feeling the need to be charitable. Eren's unhappy look only had him turn away in annoyance.

Eren's friends stuck around for a while, poking fun at Eren's inability to speak properly and joking that if anything, then the broken nose was an upgrade to Jean's face. Both the alphas' pride were suitably bruised and battered by the time Armin came home from his practice, exhausted and with heavy bags under his eyes. One look at Jean and Eren only had him sigh in utter defeat before he went into the bathroom to get his medical kit.

As it turned out, Jean's nose was not broken and they had managed to keep the swelling relatively in check. Armin declared that there were no reasons why it wouldn't heal just fine on its own, though Jean looked like hell with the spreading bruise colouring the skin around his eyes.

“That's just favouritism,” Jean declared as he stared at himself in Mikasa's make-up mirror, “you didn't bust Eren's face at all.”

“I was slightly less annoyed with Eren at the time,” Levi excused himself, “though I'll change tactics next time since you won't shut the _fuck up_ about it.”

“Well excuse _me_ that I am not used to having my face kicked in,” Jean whined and pulled a face which caused him to whimper in renewed pain.

Levi shook his head at these pampered alphas who were living oblivious of the perimeter skirmishes that still dominated the smaller clans' daily existence. Here Erwin sat on two pretty big and powerful alphas and he wasn't even using them for anything. Kenny would have busted his left nut to get two such healthy specimens on his roster.

The thought of Kenny and his never ending need to expand his army soured Levi's mood even further and he slipped back over to the couch to pick up the controller again. The moment his hand touched the plastic, the familiar burn surged through him and he had to close his eyes and take a deep breath to not instantly obey the command and hand it back to Jean. With gritted teeth he turned towards Jean again and held up the device.

“Can I have this?” Levi asked the alpha, who predictably stared at him in confusion. A heavy silence fell over the room as everybody either stared in shock or tried very hard to pretend they weren't noticing what was happening. A strangled sound escaped Eren and he began coughing again.

“Of course you can have it,” Jean said after what felt like an uncomfortably long time. With the release of the command, Levi let out a long, soft breath and plonked down on the couch.

Ignorant assholes.

It was past midnight when they finally left and silence once again fell over the household. Armin had already fallen asleep on the couch next to Levi while Eren and Mikasa stayed up for a while playing a few quiet rounds of cards on the kitchen table. Despite the events of the evening, Levi found his shoulders slumping and his heart slowing down at the sound of Armin's soft snores and Mikasa's calm voice telling Eren that if he cheated one more time, she'd break his fingers. Eren's responding laughter was hoarse, but he was already able to speak full sentences without coughing, indicating that he'd be perfectly fine again by morning.

Not that Levi was worried.

At around two in the morning, Mikasa managed to drag Armin up the stairs and into his bed and Levi wondered whether he could be arsed to make up the couch to sleep. He tended to only get a few hours of rest during the night either way. The temptation to just stay up and play was quite tantalising, especially since he was already beyond the halfway mark of the game and the story was picking up.

“You really took to gaming like a natural, huh?” Eren commented in a low whisper and sat down next to Levi who grunted non-committally. He had never seen the point of not doing something well if he was gonna to do it in the first place.

“Y'know...” Eren murmured and poked at a tear in his sweatpants. Licking his lips and frowning, he spent some time contemplating the thread he was pulling. Levi waited patiently. “I didn't realise until today what kind of an asshole I've been towards you,” Eren finally whispered and looked everywhere but at Levi. “I've been so obsessed with you, even if you warned me so many times that I would be, that... I dunno. It felt like I had the right to... y'know, to be _around_ you. That there was something between us that gave me that right. I _don't_ have that right though, and I am sorry. I'm also sorry for every time I've given you a command even if I knew I was doing it or not. That shit looked all kinds of fucked up seeing it from the outside-” Eren stopped his rambling and finally let his gaze fall on Levi who had paused the game and sat staring at the frozen screen. “I, uh... this is going to sound whack and I'm probably never going to live this down but-...” Eren laughed hoarsely at himself and what he was about to admit. “I've always known that I am an alpha, err... _obviously_ , but until I met you I didn't really know what that actually _meant_.”

Levi felt exhausted to the bone. Rubbing a hand over his face and pulling it through his hair and mussing it up, he turned towards Eren and his earnest gaze. Green eyes shining in the soft light and the scent of the wide open sea.

That first time connecting to someone. Levi could remember it faintly though all that remained was a dull pain somewhere in his chest. To have had that connection severed had nearly crushed him. He had been seventeen at the time and a stupid little shit. Eren was a lot older than he had been then, and definitely more mature, but Levi wondered if he hadn't let it go too far already regardless. Pulling back from Eren this past week had been harder than he had anticipated.

“I told you that you were setting yourself up for heartbreak,” Levi muttered when his whirling memories finally settled down enough for him to formulate a reply.

“I take that to mean you're not going to give me a chance?” Eren questioned, a ghost of his cocky smile back on his lips.

“Give you a chance?” Levi echoed, trying really hard not to throw an insult at the alpha. “We've known each other for about a _week_. You know almost nothing about me sans my name.”

“Eh,” Eren shrugged casually, “I've known people for a lot shorter, and done a lot _less_ with them, before I asked them out for a coffee.”

This conversation was not heading in the direction Levi had expected. At all.

“But it's not just a cup of coffee you want though, is it?” he asked, eyes flicking over Eren's face to try and discern whether he was joking or not.

“Why not? Why can't we go on a regular date?” Eren asked in return. “Get to know each other like regular people... 'cus I'd really like to get to know you, Levi. Figure out if you're really named after a pair of jeans and all.”

A soft laughter escaped Levi before he even knew it was coming and he quickly shut his lips tight. A date? How ridiculous. He had never been on one of those before.

“Maybe,” Levi grudgingly replied, lifting his chin to give Eren a warning glare that if he tried to make it into anything more than what it was, he'd regret it.

Eren, being an idiot, grinned from ear to ear like he had just won a grand prize.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, I got the best readers. Thank you all so kindly for your comments ❤️❤️❤️ They really help keeping my glum mood at bay!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“So,” the alpha began, his voice deep and Levi's attention instantly snapped back to his face, “you're our new guest.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late to be updated, but I guess this chapter is a chonker, huh? 
> 
> Music: [Beekeeper - Keaton Henson](https://open.spotify.com/track/4ndx9owEVp3YNbwd8pxDUJ?si=W15G7-_MRXG4f7Lsnlf88g)

Eren's friends continued to drop by, treating the house like an extension of their own. One evening everyone gathered around the TV, bottles of beer were imbibed and copious amounts of junk food was chowed down as they watched a game of rugby. Levi had only heard of the phenomenon of Alpha Rugby, but watching it was something else entirely. Dynamics didn't play sports with _no dyms_ , for obvious reasons, but the last few years alpha sports had made a huge hit. Levi got explained to him how it all worked as he watched two alphas barrelling into each other, fangs bared and eyes glowing a challenging red. Their bulging, sweaty muscles made Levi squirm a bit in his seat and a faint warmth settled in his abdomen and on his face. Having them all nice and engaged with each other on the TV screen made their powerful displays something else, that was for sure.

The two alphas in his own life were a different matter. Trost had been beaten out of the league and now Eren was betting his money on Shiganshina. Obviously, that meant Jean held with Sina and there were more than one moment in which Levi was sure the two alphas would clash in much the same fashion as the ones on the telly. That this was a common occurrence revealed itself in how no one else paid them much attention. Not until the atmosphere got too heated and Mikasa forced them apart by sitting down between them. Levi frowned at her seemingly natural ability to calm the dispute, but eventually chalked it up to her knowing them so well after having grown up with them.

Half a week later and the house was finally empty and quiet. Well, as quiet as it could get while Levi was aggressively vacuuming the cushions on the couch. Gods damned Eren and Sasha who insisted on eating crisps there even when Levi gave them his best disapproving glare.

“It's my couch,” Eren had declared stubbornly, ending with Levi locking the door to the bathroom and fuming in the bath for two hours.

Because of the noise from the vacuumer and the set of air pods that Levi borrowed from Armin blasting music at max volume, Levi didn't notice the other occupants in the room until he turned around and stared them right in the face.

_No scent,_ the thought flashed bright red through Levi's brain as he took a step back in surprise.

Yet, despite the lack of scent there was no mistaking the alpha. The Clan Alpha. His unrelenting, icy blue gaze made the room feel suffocatingly small and the need to prostrate himself was so strong, Levi could feel beads of perspiration break out on his back and neck the moment he started fighting it. Swallowing thickly, he eventually managed to rip the air pods out of his ears and turn off the vacuum. The silence that followed was strained.

“So,” the alpha began, his voice deep and Levi's attention instantly snapped back to his face, “you're our new guest.”

Behind the alpha stood Hange jumping from one foot to another anxiously. Levi levelled them with his best glare. He had done what they wanted, he had answered most of their intrusive and inane questions, so why had they sold him out?

But of course their loyalty wouldn't lie with him, Levi reminded himself, more than a little annoyed at himself for having lowered his guard around the beta. He wasn't even a member of their clan.

As if able to read Levi's thoughts, Hange burst out, “I didn't mean to tell him! I just... I get so invested in my research I forget who is supposed to know, sometimes.”

The alpha's lips thinned, obviously not pleased that his second in command was so willing to keep secrets from him.

“And you're the Erwin Smith I have been hearing so much about,” Levi managed to answer, happy that his voice sounded both droll and uninterested.

“I am,” Erwin nodded and stretched out a large hand towards Levi, “and it is good to finally meet you, Levi Ackerman.”

Again, Levi let his eyes slide over to Hange who was looking anywhere but at him. He knew he shouldn't be disappointed in them, that they had merely done their job as they should, yet it stung a little.

Opting not to shake the proffered hand, Levi instead took another step backwards. Erwin and Hange blocked the way to the front entrance, but he had opened the window in the hallway earlier to air out. That would be his means of escape.

Erwin let his hand hang extended for a while longer before he curled his fingers into a fist and let it fall down by his side. It was difficult to tell from the pale colour of his eyes, but Levi thought he could catch a fading glimmer of gold in his irises. Frowning and giving his head a subtle shake, Levi swallowed once more. The muscles in his neck were strained with the need to bend, but he fought it.

Just one small command from Erwin and Levi knew he would not be able to fight it. Erwin was fully capable of vanquishing Levi's will and mind in just a few, smooth words.

“Yet again you conveniently arrive when Eren isn't home,” Levi pointed out to Hange who shrugged in defeat. They honestly looked very unhappy with the situation and the simmering resentment in Levi dulled a little.

“I think we can all agree that it will be easier to have a civilized conversation if Eren isn't home,” Erwin said and walked towards Levi who instantly took several steps back.

Scales were extending from Levi's spine and across his throat, down his arms, inner thighs and hip bones in order to protect him. Teeth and claws were sharpened to attack. There was no way he'd be able to stop his body's instinctive fight or flight reaction, but Levi would rather it not be so physically apparent that he was feeling threatened.

Erwin stopped in his tracks and stared at him, a crease between his pale brows indicating curiosity or perhaps surprise. After a moment of silent appraisal he merely waved his hand towards one of the reclining chairs, indicating that he intended to sit down in it. Once situated, his eyes did not leave Levi for a moment.

“You're a very interesting specimen,” he declared and crossed his legs.

Hange let out a small “ _huh_ ” as they likewise stared at Levi.

An electrical current hummed in the air as if thunder was on the horizon, but when Levi shifted his gaze outside expecting to see a storm, all he saw was blue skies and a few fluffy, white clouds. Electricity brushed across his skin, making the small hairs stand on end and his tongue tingled. It finally clicked. Erwin's scent was that of imminent thunder, deceptive and powerful.

“You're pretty interesting yourself,” Levi admitted, placing his hands in his pockets as he worked on reining in the reaction of his body. Submit or fight, it was telling him, and he didn't know which of those he wanted. His hand clamped around the note that Desiree had given him. It was a slight comfort. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

Erwin's brows raised in surprise and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Yes please, I would love a cup of tea,” he accepted with a small nod.

“You too Hange?” Levi inquired as he walked quickly over to the kitchenette and started to fill the kettle with water.

“Yeah, uh, yes please,” Hange mumbled in reply.

Levi suspected Hange were preoccupied trying to memorize every little bit of interaction between an alpha and an omega meeting for the first time. Hange had been asking a lot of questions surrounding Levi and Eren's first meeting as of late, so it fit with their research. Or then they might actually be sulking because their secret got busted. It was probably a mix of both, he decided. Though he hadn't known Hange for especially long, some people were just easier to read. Hange was just the type to wear their emotions as huge, flashing neon signs on their forehead.

The presence of Erwin grated, but the familiar and calming process of making tea helped Levi relax until his scales retracted. His teeth remained, but they had been a constant for nearly two weeks now and he hardly noticed them anymore.

Levi stood watching the kettle on the stove, waiting for it to boil while trying not to fidget from one foot to the other. It was difficult to stand still. Idly he reached up to card his fingers through his hair and pulled it away from his face. The fringe had gotten too long and tended to get in his eyes when he did the house cleaning. He had been meaning to ask either Armin or Eren to help him trim the undercut, but had consistently forgotten about it amidst everything. Usually Furlan was the one who did that for him, though he supposed he could just do it himself from now on.

Erwin's gaze felt like a physical weight on him and the alpha didn't bother to look away when Levi made it clear that he knew he was staring. But why would he? Erwin owned everything and everyone on this turf, including Levi in a way. Levi might not be a part of the clan, but he had been enjoying his hospitality indirectly non the less.

“Sugar, milk, black or green?” Levi asked the room when he heard the water on the verge of boiling.

“Yes!” was Hange's startled reply.

“Black, one sugar and a dollop of milk, please,” was Erwin's.

Levi gave them what they wanted.

“Uhm, why do I have two bags in my tea?” Hange questioned when they received their mug.

“A black and a green tea,” Levi replied simply and sat down on the couch next to Hange. It felt safer that way.

The clock on the stove informed him that it was still two more hours until Eren could be expected at home and Levi's apprehension was growing. He knew his own strength, knew that in a physical confrontation he might be able to escape Erwin with most of his body in tact. But mentally... he might need the help of another alpha. The thought left a sour taste in his mouth, but he had not survived so far by being a self delusional idiot.

“Hange finally informed me of the current events as far as they are aware,” Erwin said after having taken a careful sip of his tea and hummed in pleasure, “that Eren was gone for two days and returned with _you_ a bit under two weeks ago. Usually that wouldn't really be information I cared much about, until I was led to understand that Eren was _kidnapped_ by your clan and that you are in fact an omega.”

Without milk in his tea it was too hot to drink right away, but needs must and Levi took a long, singing sip regardless to give himself some time to think. Politics and talking had always been Furlan's thing, Levi was better at action.

“Is it really so bad that I am an omega?” he questioned eventually, ignoring for the time being the parts about Eren's kidnapping. “Your clan would certainly benefit from recruiting a few of them.”

“Oh, you think so?” Erwin exclaimed softly and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and stared intently at Levi. It was hard to read, but Levi gauged the alpha's expression to be somewhere between amused and intrigued.

“Definitely,” Levi asserted, “they'd help keep your raging alpha's in check, for one. They're running rampant around here.”

Levi couldn't help the small smirk as he stared at Erwin from atop the teacup he was holding up to his mouth. The aroma soothed him.

“I did notice Jean sporting a rather nasty bruise the other day,” Erwin hummed and smiled wide, though without revealing any teeth, “good to know they haven't been causing you too much trouble, then.”

“Nothing I am not used to,” Levi affirmed and placed the steaming mug on his thigh.

A part of him was feeling uncomfortable to be seen by the Clan Alpha wearing dirty sweatpants and greasy hair, but mostly he couldn't give less of a fuck. There were more important matters at hand.

“Would _you_ make a good addition to our clan?” Erwin asked directly.

A snap of electricity sparked through the room, forcing Levi to bend his neck with a stilted jerk and in his peripheral vision he could see Hange doing the same. He made sure not to avert his eyes from Erwin's, but when Erwin revealed a light pink tongue and licked his lips delicately, he couldn't help but let his gaze waver. It was the most discomposed he had seen the alpha since he had entered the house and it was gone in an instant, yet it had his heart thumping heavily in his chest.

“Probably not,” Levi answered at length. He wouldn't be much use to the Smith clan at any rate. There were no need for forced recruitments here and as far as Levi had gotten to understand there were few, or no, border skirmishes. “Besides,” Levi continued, “Armin said... what was it he said? Oh, yes, that you're old fashioned in some things and avant in others. It doesn't really take a genius to draw a conclusion why there are no omega here.”

“And what was your conclusion?” Erwin asked politely, his voice sounding like silk draped over marble.

“That you'll only allow omegas that you can mate yourself,” Levi muttered, “saves a whole lot of trouble and insubordination from uppity alphas. A tried and true tactic in order to keep your clan in functional order”

The tradition was upheld by the Pyxis clan, for example, an older and rather archaic clan as far as Levi had gotten to understand. On the other hand, _not_ mating his omega had been one of the trump cards Kenny held when it came to alpha recruitment. Free and willing omega called to alphas like nothing else. Levi would know, after all.

Erwin opened his mouth to speak, but after having taken a breath he closed it again. Pale eyes raked over Levi's figure and though he usually didn't lack in self confidence, Levi suddenly felt small and wanting. The coffee stain on his borrowed sweatpants that he had to fold the legs up on didn't exactly help him any.

Rolling his shoulders in an effort to play off the unfamiliar sensation, Levi turned his attention over to Hange who had been uncharacteristically quiet the entire time. They sat with their mug of tea, two bags still in it, and just stared at Levi like they had never seen him before.

“You're quite correct,” Erwin replied levelly and Hange's already large, brown eyes grew even larger, “and I am sure that the few weeks you've spent here has shown you exactly why that is necessary in this clan.”

Inclining his head slightly, Levi bent his will to the alpha's. He had, in fact, seen exactly why an unmated omega could be a liability on the Smith's turf. Ten minutes had been enough to spark a near life and death fight between two friends, though it had been quickly dealt with. And, Levi allowed himself, that was mostly Erwin's fault for not teaching them how to be around omegas in the first place. Any such fight at Kenny's turf would have been met with harsh punishments and not a little bit of ridicule.

A longer silence followed in which Levi and Erwin focused on their beverages while Hange sat squirming in their seat, obviously bursting with questions for them both but somehow managing to remain silent. Perhaps it was the heavy atmosphere between the alpha and the omega seizing each other up that finally rendered Hange speechless. A precarious situation to be caught in at the best of times, and this was certainly not one of those.

“Have you been thinking of joining us?” Erwin asked eventually, his voice carrying through the quiet room effortlessly.

Levi lowered his gaze and stared down into his mug at the dwindling remains of liquid and wondered whether it was worth getting up and putting on another kettle.

“I haven't thought much about it,” he revealed honestly, “I have been busy mostly just... adjusting. There is a lot of adjusting to do.”

And now Erwin was confirming Levi's initial suspicions in regards to the true reason for why such a clan could be without omegas. Asking Levi at this point whether he had considered joining was not just a little bit insulting, leaving Levi with an ashed taste in his mouth. He couldn't have been the first omega to have crossed into the Smith turf and they had all been sent away for one reason or another. Levi understood enough to know that he was being played here, but he just couldn't see the game Erwin was setting up.

“I'll be out of your hair in no time,” Levi sighed, giving in, “if Hange hadn't blathered their big mouth you wouldn't have noticed I was even here. I have some contacts... I have- I've gotten my social security number and everything so-”

“And what makes you think I'll allow you to leave, just like that?” Erwin questioned and the heavy feeling in Levi's gut anchored.

_Ah, of course_. Now _this_ was familiar territory that Levi knew all about; the brusque censure of his autonomy as an omega. What had ever possessed him to think it didn't exist in the Smith clan, of all clans? Slowly he lifted his gaze from his teacup, let it brush the hallway with the open window and landed on Erwin and his sky blue eyes. Levi smiled. It showed teeth.

“I didn't ask for your permission,” Levi replied. _Come on_ , he thought, _give me a command you alpha bastard. See what happens_.

“Err, so... Levi has been helping me a whole lot with my book!” Hange interrupted, their voice too loud and jarring for the strained conversation. It made for an effective distraction. “I have learned so much about omega that I never knew. Did you know, Erwin, that omega are always born by omegan mothers? Of course statistics can show us that quite effectively, but what the numbers doesn't show us is that omega teach other omega behavioural patterns and _that_ in turn condition their response to the rest of society! Imagine, if a mother is treated like an object by an alpha and their omega child grow up seeing that behaviour. Of course they will think that is the normal status quo and-”

“That is quite interesting Hange,” Erwin nodded, “but I think perhaps a better topic for another time?”

Hange slammed their mug down on the coffee table and crossed their arms.

“What I am telling you, Erwin, is that some behaviour is _taught_ , and that we shouldn't judge before we understand _how_ , if you catch my drift,” Hange declared. The spicy scent of tea curdled into compost, like leaves lying out to rot. There was absolutely no submission in Hange's fierce stare down of Erwin and something shifted between them.

“Anyway,” Levi said when he felt the silence had stretched out long enough, “as I was trying to say earlier, I'm applying for a half-way house and the only trouble is the depositum... I don't have any capital so I need a job and that is taking some time.”

Again Levi was reminded of Desiree's number, the note buried deep in his pocket. Why hadn't he called it yet?

“An umated omega in a half-way house?” Erwin interjected suddenly, the careful neutrality in his voice wavering. “And what if an alpha gets to you? Or you get jumped by another clan?”

“Well, obviously I'll kill them,” Levi sighed, not really understanding why _that_ , of all things, would be a deterrent.

“Really?” Erwin said, not sounding the least bit impressed, “ _drink the rest of your tea_.”

Levi had the remains of the rapidly cooling liquid down his throat before the command even registered.

The tea had been consumed and there were no more commands smouldering in his mind. It was quickly replaced with rage. Grabbing the mug, Levi threw it at Erwin by full force, diverting his attention before he himself followed, claws out and fangs at the ready. The alpha had expected a rebutal, but perhaps not a physical one as Levi effortlessly toppled him from the chair and onto the floor.

A clawed hand gripped blonde hair and Levi pulled Erwin's head back in order to avoid the alpha's fangs. With free access to the jugular, Levi bit down only to be thwarted in his effort by a powerful punch connecting with his chest and throwing him across the room.

In the split second given to him, Levi used the changed momentum and twisted, avoiding crashing into the kitchen counters by a hair's breadth. With the leverage, Levi kicked off again and closed the gap between him and the alpha. Erwin had yet to change size or extract his claws, though his eyes glinted golden and his teeth glistened in the dull afternoon light. Levi laughed mirthlessly. The alpha thought he had this under control. He thought he had to rein in his own strength to not hurt the smaller omega.

He would learn.

Slamming into Erwin again full force, Levi let his claws sink deep into hard flesh, twisting around the greater body and hooking his legs around Erwin's chest. Straddling the broad back, Levi now had free access to Erwin's neck without Erwin being able to use his fangs to retaliate.

With his first bite, Levi crunched through Erwin's hand, second bite and Erwin managed to headbutt him, third bite and Levi's fangs dug deep into the muscles of Erwin's neck and shoulder and tore them open.

“Levi, stop it! What the _fuck_!” Hange yelled somewhere in the distance, but he didn't care. A haze had descended over him and all he desired was to rip his opponent apart.

Busy trying not to choke on the blood that was spewing into his mouth, Levi didn't notice that Erwin had backed up against the wall until they smashed into it and Levi's breath left him in a shuddering gasp. Dizzy from the sudden lack of oxygen, he still managed to hold on, claws dug so deeply into Erwin' sinew they wouldn't be extracted until Levi vanquished them.

The alpha's claws were finally summoned, though too late as he could do nothing to penetrate Levi's scales and merely scratched at his cheek and ear while trying to get a proper purchase. Erwin seemed to reach the same conclusion and revised his tactics. Twisting his hand into Levi's t-shirt, the alpha used his overwhelming strength to pull the smaller man over his shoulder, not caring about the pain it caused him as Levi's right hand claws were ripped out of Erwin's thick pectoral muscles.

Thumping harshly into the hard floorboard with a breathless _oomph_ , Levi was again struck momentarily faint. Shaking sweaty hair out of his eyes, he quickly recovered and he stared into a pair of golden ones. Erwin was frowning down at him, a low rumble in the back of his throat intended to put the omega in his place, but Levi flashed him his fangs in a wicked rebuttal. He might be at a disadvantage, but Erwin was bleeding and several of his muscles were torn. Levi was pretty certain he had managed to crush plenty of the smaller bone's in the alpha's hand between his jaws.

For each strained breath that Levi laboured into his lungs, pheromones began to suffuse his system. There were no overwhelming scent coming from Erwin to subdue him, but shots of electricity snapped up Levi's spine and across his straining muscles. It felt like desire. Chest heaving and blood thumping in his ears, Levi managed to wring his hands around Erwin's throat and began to squeeze. In retaliation, Erwin took the hold he had in Levi's shirt and slammed him once, twice, thrice into the floor, making him see stars. Arching his back and gritting his teeth together to better bear the pain, Levi couldn't stop a small whimper from escaping him.

The involuntary show of weakness instantly affected Erwin who loosened his grip on Levi's shirt almost to the point of letting him go. He was still hulking over him, larger than life and scowling in anger, but there was a hesitancy to his movements now.

Levi could use that.

Letting the desires of his body take over, Levi arched his back again and threw his head back, laying his neck bare. It was a dicey move, but he wasn't fighting a raging alpha and Erwin seemed to be mostly in control of his faculties. He was already easing up, though not entirely fooled by the display if the stern set of his face was anything to go by.

Lying there prostrated underneath the Clan Alpha was doing something to Levi and he let his dynamic carry him. A pitiful whine left his parted lips and he gauged the effect from the corner of his hooded eyes. Erwin's pupils were visibly dilating, turning the shimmering gold dark and promising.

And Levi almost gave in then and there. But he had let his guard down to gain something, and that was to teach Erwin a lesson. Moving hands from Erwin's thick neck, Levi caressed his cheeks softly instead. It was almost a lover's touch.

_Let the alpha experience the world in darkness for a while,_ Levi thought grimly and prepared to puncture his eyeballs. The moment Erwin registered his mistake was written large on his face and Levi allowed himself a small smile as he braced his claws.

“ _LEVI, STOP!_ ”

The voice wormed itself into Levi's brain and ceased all his functions.

It was a command that could not be resisted.

Levi's body fell limply back to the floor with a soft thud. He registered dimly, as if looking through a stained window, that Erwin was still breathing heavily above him. The iron stench of blood penetrated the air.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Eren's questioning voice boomed through the haze. He was answered by Hange, but Levi was unable to discern their words through the ringing in his ears.

Fear was threatening to overtake him as he remained unable to move underneath the Clan Alpha who was still staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. Struggling to throw off the command, pain sizzled under Levi's skin and he groaned, a sob caught in his throat. But before panic could overcome him completely, Erwin was pushed off him and what had already become familiar hands pulled Levi none too gently off the floor. Instantly, Levi retracted his claws in order to cling around Eren's neck instead.

Not much of what happened after that was coherent as he let the command thrum through his brain, ordering him to _stop_ over and over. Every time he tried to sit up, look around or do anything his muscles slacked and he remained a limp body in Eren's arms. Levi should have been fearful of this lack of autonomy, but the scent of brine washed over him and he let himself be lulled in the alpha's embrace.

“Eren,” he eventually murmured and fire gripped him like a vice. He had to _stop_ speaking, that was the command. He persisted. “Let go.”

Large hands, large enough that they could cover his entire face, caressed his cheeks and neck and a dry-skinned thumb brushed across parted lips. A heavy sigh blew through Levi like thunderous wind.

“I release you Levi. Do as you will,” Eren whispered into his ear and the burning stopped in an instant. Opening his eyes properly, Levi stared up into Eren's anxious face.

“What the fuck?” he exclaimed and Eren's pinched look melted into one of abashed humour.

“That's my question,” Eren shot back and jostled Levi slightly to get him to sit up on his own.

“Your asshole of a Clan Alpha decided it was fun commanding me around,” Levi muttered angrily.

Closer inspection revealed that he was lying across Eren's lap on the couch. Erwin was sitting on a chair by the kitchen table, Hange huffing in displeasure as they cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Levi felt somewhat smug that he had none except the scratches on his cheek.

“You're such a moron sometimes, Erwin, I swear,” Hange sighed and tossed another swad of bloodied cotton onto the table. “This was not our plan, like, _at all_.”

Erwin only grunted and winced in pain. His shirt lay ripped apart, bloodied and discareded on the floor.

“You don't threaten a cornered demon and then expect it not to try and tear you a new one,” Hange continued to scold and peered at Erwin's left hand which was a mangled mess. “You have to go to the hospital... I can't fix this.”

“It'll heal,” Erwin assured them and carefully flexed the hand. Blood instantly seeped through the cotton pads that had been taped to it and Hange grimaced at it. “I can still use it so nothing essential was torn.”

They continued to bicker about the seriousness of the wounds, seemingly not minding the two other occupants in the room. Levi was still sitting half way in Eren's lap, the man's arms resting around him without actually holding him in place. Peering over the backrest of the couch and towards the spectacle at the kitchen table, Levi squinted his eyes and tried to calculate what was going on.

Erwin seemed mostly fed up with the nagging, while Hange was busy chewing the alpha out for reckless behaviour. The only person who seemed upset at what was happening was Eren, and then only by his scent. He was sitting completely still, his attention mostly on Levi but occasionally drifting over to the Clan Alpha.

“Your eyes,” Eren whispered and Levi tore his gaze off the wounded alpha and let them rest on the one underneath him instead, “they're shining.”

Their faces were mere inches apart, Eren's warmth seeping through Levi's clothes with Levi's hand resting on Eren's shoulder as he sat poised, ready to flee at the slightest provocation.

“Yours shine all the time,” Levi replied in the same quiet whisper. He didn't bother to point out that there was a golden glint in them at that very moment.

“Yeah, but I didn't know omega did that too,” Eren murmured, “yours is not gold, though, they're more silvery.”

“None of you know shit about omega,” Levi grumbled.

A movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention and Levi's lips drew back in a snarl even before he was able to identify the potential threat. Erwin had gotten up despite the loud protests of Hange, who just threw up their arms and shook their head when they realised they were being completely ignored. The relaxed hands that were holding Levi tightened and Eren's lips pinched, his brows furrowed, but he remained very still. Dark hair had fallen forward to obscure most of his face, wisely hiding the challenging glimmer in them from the Clan Alpha. Sensing the strained atmosphere, Erwin stopped half a meter from the couch and held his hands in easy view.

“We might have gotten off on the wrong foot here,” Erwin said and offered a relaxed smile. He was still shirtless and bloody, the evidence of the level of dispute between them carved into his flesh. Levi scoffed. What an arrogant bastard.

“If Eren hadn't conveniently come home early you would have been blind by now,” Levi reminded the Clan Alpha, who inclined his head in acknowledgement and a huff of laughter. Like they'd just had a friendly scuffle.

“What this big idiot is trying to tell you, Levi, is that you're welcome to stay in the clan,” Hange declared and threw Erwin a withering glare. “ _If_ , you want to stay that is. I wouldn't blame you for high-tailing it out of here right about now.”

Of all the things Levi had expected to happen, an extended invitation to the clan after having bitten the Clan Alpha into shreds was not one of them. The bashful smile spread wider across Erwin's face, lightening his otherwise quite solemn features and he used his unharmed hand to shuffle through his blonde locks. The effect was of a man who felt slightly embarrassed, but also humoured by his own antics.

“Yes, alright,” Erwin admitted and laughed quietly, “it got _very_ _much_ out of hand. Your appearance and demeanour took me more by surprise than I thought it would.”

“My appearance?” Levi echoed, and shifted in Eren's lap.

It was obvious to Levi that Eren was working hard on remaining quiet and Levi had yet to remove his hand from his neck. Their skin barely grazed, but it felt grounding. Levi knew quite well that while Eren understood the concepts of free agency and hierarchy just fine, his instincts were telling him that another alpha was asserting dominance in his house. Kenny didn't allow alphas all that much personal space in the compound for that very reason. They tended to get exceedingly territorial of it.

“Hange told me about you were an uncommonly good fighter for an omega, but seeing your prowess up close like that was something else,” Erwin replied and shrugged the undamaged shoulder. The white bandages were already tainted pink by the still bleeding wounds, but it didn't look like it bothered the alpha much.

“Happy to have been able to give you a little treat then, Blondie” Levi hissed, being very much unimpressed by the recent events. Eren huffed a short laugh in either surprise or humour.

“I'd like it if you stayed,” Eren added, his voice gritty with a suppressed growl.

“Yes, about that...” Hange started up again, having been busy tidying away some of the bloody cottonpads and wrapping up lengths of bandages. “Levi obviously can't stay here, he'll have to move into another household.”

“ _What_?” Eren snarled and turned around to look at Hange properly, jostling Levi in the process. Erwin seemed unconcerned by the threat, but Hange pinched their lips and frowned.

With a frustrated sigh, Levi got up from the couch and pulled away from Eren who let him go without any further struggle. _Good_ , Levi thought, Eren had already shot himself in the foot with his initial reaction to the news as it was.

“And where am I to live then?” Levi questioned, though he already had a pretty good idea what their plan was. At least if Erwin truly did adhere to the old fashioned mating rituals...

“My house!” Hange exclaimed, brightening at their own suggestion, clapping their hands together in excitement and taking Levi by complete surprise. “You can help me with my new book and everything, it's perfect!”

Levi couldn't help the groan escaping him, rubbing a hand over his face in exasperation. Of. bloody. _course_.

“Why don't you guys just shoot me instead?” Levi murmured, face still hidden behind his hand. The scent of masala chai enveloped him just before Hange, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and shaking him. A strangled growl from Eren was cut short and they both pretended like they hadn't heard it.

“What's with that attitude, huh?” Hange teased Levi instead and laughed, “we're gonna get famous! Groundbreaking work done by Dr Hange Zöe and their assistant Levi Ackerman!” Hange swept their arm in a grand arch.

“Whatever,” Levi muttered and pushed away from them. He was pretty certain Hange had dipped over to the other side of mad scientist a long time ago.

“I take that as a yes,” Hange gushed and smiled in triumph at everybody in the room.

Eren had gone completely silent on the couch, his hands digging into the cushion underneath him and tearing at the fabric. There was little doubt that they could thank Erwin's presence for his sudden temperance.

After a bit of a back and forth, Levi eventually agreed that he'd consider the offer and get back to Hange the next day about his decision. Erwin's piercing eyes travelled between Eren's agitated form and Levi's close proximity to him, probably drawing his own conclusions as to what was happening between the alpha and the omega.

An electric charge snapped through the room, catching both Levi and Eren's attention, but when they looked over to the Clan Alpha he had turned his back on them.

Blood had trickled from the wounds on Erwin's neck and dried in streaks down his back, pooling around large sets of muscles. A long forgotten sensation in the pit of Levi's stomach stirred. It was the warmth of expectation and the exhilaration of seeing something very attractive. Something he _wanted_. Huffing in surprise, Levi quickly averted his gaze and hoped no one noticed the heightening colour on his face. It had to be the rampant pheromones in the room addling his brain.

As Erwin and Hange left, Levi caught Erwin muttering, “it's going to be fun trying to explain why I leave Eren's house without a shirt on and looking like I've been driven over by a lawnmower.”

The comment had Levi snickering and he instantly placed a hand to his lips to stifle the sound.

“I like your laugh,” Eren commented and turned around to watch Levi who had moved over to the kitchen, “it's really nerdy.”

Levi glared at him before stretching his arms above his head, trying to loosen the aching muscles in his back. Now that the adrenaline was fading out of his system, he could feel the harsh impact of being crushed between an angry alpha and a hard place.

“Shut your mouth,” Levi muttered and ignored the twinge of embarrassment the comment had given him, “why are you home anyway, I thought you didn't let out until four?”

“Nah, our professor showed up, puked all over the auditorium and promptly left again,” Eren explained and finally got up from the couch. There was animation back in his features and the salty scent was easing up a bit. “Historia, my classmate y'know, theorised that she might be pregnant or something.”

Levi grimaced in distaste. He hated puke _and_ babies, mostly because babies brought puke with them. Speaking of disgusting, Hange might have thrown out some of the bloody bandages, but it was still a biohazard in the kitchen. Ignoring his aching back, Levi set to cleaning it all up properly.

“I can't believe you actually fought Erwin,” Eren groaned then, leaning his elbows on the kitchen counter and pulling at his hair in what Levi first thought was abject despair, but then Eren began to laugh while shaking his head at the same time. “I thought we were both goners there for sure,” he continued to wheeze, “we really should have been.”

Levi gave a ' _tsk_ ' of distaste as he found the bucket under the sink and filled it up with chlorine and hot water. He was pretty certain that if Erwin had wanted to kill him, then he would have been dead. Side-eyeing Eren, Levi had to admit to himself that he was surprised at Eren's initial reaction to the fight and how he had solved it. Instead of joining in the fray he had effectively shut Levi's system down. It was both clever and clean. It also demanded a whole lot of trust in his Clan Alpha.

“So what are you gonna do?” Eren asked after a while, “you'll move in with Hange?”

“Seems like that's my only option if I am to stay,” Levi replied and inhaled the fumes the of the chlorine greedily. Because of his love for water, Kuchel had insist that he take swimming lessons as a child. It had been fun.

“And you're gonna stay?” There was a hopeful lilt in Eren's voice and the way he flicked offending hair out of his face to lay his turquoise eyes on Levi had his chest tightening.

Turning away with a scowl, Levi shrugged a shoulder. “I don't really have anywhere else to go, do I,” he muttered and Eren hummed in agreement.

Levi was feeling uneasy. Eren wasn't privy to their earlier conversation and Erwin's supposed intent. It didn't really add up in Levi's head how the Clan Alpha had admitted to adhering to the archaic mating customs while Hange made it pretty clear that they had already agreed to allow Levi to join the clan. If Erwin had never accepted another omega, why had he been willing to propose a mating before they even met each other?

Fuck, it was times like these that Levi really missed Furlan.

“That's right!” Eren suddenly exclaimed as he picked Erwin's tattered shirt from the floor, “we were supposed to go on a date.”

“I said maybe to that,” Levi reminded him.

“Yeah, but...” Eren deflated. He was balling the bloody shirt in his hands, ruining it further. “I figured maybe you wanted to come with me to the university? On Thursdays I only got one class and then we could go and have a coffee or I could show you around or something.”

Levi looked out of the window with a frown. He hadn't really been outside the door since he had arrived at the Smith's turf and the thought of going back into the city had him apprehensive. Eren had been jumped by the Ackerman clan when he was leaving the university, so what was to say they weren't still keeping tabs on those areas?

He also remembered clearly the sheer confusion and vertigo of the rapidly moving city. All the people. The sky going on forever. It wasn't like he was _scared_... he was just not used to it, was all.

“Is it far?” Levi questioned. The water he used to rinse the wash cloth with was hot enough to steam and burned his hands to a bright red colour.

“Nah, not really,” Eren replied, his smile broadening as if he knew he was winning, “about twenty minutes on the tram.”

The tram had been pretty horrible, Levi remembered, though perhaps easier to handle when he wasn't drenched and exhausted.

“So... I follow you to class and then we have a cup of coffee?” Levi asked, drawing his brows together critically. He wanted to get this right. Dates weren't really something he knew anything about, he only had the vague notion that it was something people did if they wanted to fuck. Or fall in love. Either or.

“Yeah!” Eren agreed. “It is just theoretical history though, which is boring as hell, but thankfully the class only lasts for forty minutes 'cus our professor believes that individual studying is all the rage.” Eren snorted. “As if any of us go to the library to read afterwards, but whatever.”

A small smile tugged at the corners of Levi's mouth again, but this time he didn't bother stopping it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to take a moment and thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your wonderful, heartfelt and really well written and thoughtout comments that you've given me. Belonging to this community and being allowed to share my writings with all of you really is amazing right now ❤️❤️❤️
> 
> Music: [Small Things - Ben Howard](https://open.spotify.com/track/5RySo0AAUR0reTHSCvb6HC?si=9Y-PbxiLTAyEHB3xdAMMbw)

There was a “family meeting” later that night that Armin called together after Eren had told him about Erwin and Hange's visit. Levi had decided to take a hot bath through the duration of it, but Eren dragged him quite literally over to the kitchen table and plonked him down.

“So I'm happy getting off early from class, right,” Eren was telling them all, waving his bottle of beer around and gesticulating for added effect, “and I walk through the door expecting to find Levi crawling across the ceiling to clean it, since I really wouldn't put that past him at this point-”

Both Armin and Mikasa snorted dutifully, Levi merely huffed and sipped at his own beer.

“-but then I enter the kitchen and I find Hange ripping the hair out of their scalp and I am like ' _what's going on?!_ ' but they don't answer, just points, and then I see it; Erwin bleeding like a pig and Levi looking like a demon straight out of hell- ready to fucking claw the eyes out of Erwin's skull!” Eren finished his dramatic build up by slapping the tabletop with a thunk.

“When you say bleeding like a pig... what do you mean?” Armin questioned, his face pulled into a grimace of scepticism.

“I literally mean bled like a pig. He was ripped nearly to shreds!” Eren got up from his seat and rushed over to the dustbin. To Levi's utter disbelief he started rummaging around in it in search of something.

“Get the fuck out of there, you stupid alpha!” Levi yelled in disgust and groaned when he saw Eren pull out Erwin's bloody shirt. He should have had the foresight to burn it, honestly.

“Look at this!” Eren demanded of his friends and handed Mikasa the offending piece of clothing. She wrinkled her nose and took it gingerly between thumb and forefinger.

“What is it?” she questioned with the type of patience that made saints.

“The remains of Erwin's shirt,” Eren declared dramatically.

“For fuck's sake, Eren,” Levi grumbled and crossed his legs as he threw himself back in his chair in exasperation.

“You seriously attacked Erwin and still sit there to tell the tale?” Armin asked Levi while declining with a shake of his head to take the ripped shirt off Mikasa's hands. She let it fall to the floor instead.

“He wants me to move in with Hange,” Levi replied, feeling that to be punishment enough for the altercation.

“Wait, permanently?” Armin's eyes widened, his forget-me-not eyes shining with curiosity. “You're moving in with the clan?”

“Looks like it,” Levi answered gruffly, taking yet another sip of his beer to mask the discomfort he felt at the beta's obvious excitement. He hadn't really thought they had grown so close that his presence in the clan made any discernible difference to either Armin or Mikasa, but he supposed he had been wrong.

“Good to hear,” Mikasa smiled thinly. “Though I can understand your apprehension of living with Hange. I wouldn't have minded if you stayed here, though.” She meaningfully side-eyed Eren who was obliviously kicking at Erwin's shirt with his foot while sucking on his beer bottle.

“Yeah, it's been quieter here despite the sporadic fighting,” Armin agreed, raising his eyebrows in silent communication to the other beta and omega, “wonder what their plan is...”

“Plan?” Mikasa wondered, jerking her chin twice towards Eren to indicate that the alpha was tuning back into the conversation. Levi had been nonplussed the first time he had noticed how Mikasa and Armin communicated silently around Eren, but had quickly grown used to it.

“Well, Erwin hasn't allowed an omega to join the clan during the fifteen years we've lived here,” Armin mused, “and then Eren brings one home and suddenly he's all interest?”

“He got to see how Levi fights up close and really personal though,” Eren interjected, “of course he'd want Levi to join after that.”

“Attacking the Clan Alpha to the point where he's bleeding like that-” Mikasa pointed at the shirt “-it makes sense that even if he wouldn't have wanted Levi in the clan he wouldn't have wanted him in any _other_ clan, either. Let him join or kill him are Erwin's two options now.”

Levi contemplated whether he should tell them how Erwin had alluded to mating being the condition for Levi staying in the clan, but quickly opted not to. Eren really wouldn't like that very much, he was pretty sure. But, as such things went, removing him from underneath Eren's roof was the first step of severing any alpha concept of territory. Something which, if Levi was completely honest with himself, he should have done on his own accord a long time ago.

Sitting around the small kitchen table and drinking beers, Levi thanked what he hesitantly called his new friends for their impromptu hospitality. Armin gave him an old backpack and in it Levi put some of the things he'd accumulated in his short time above ground. A pair of black jeans and a couple of plain t-shirts that Armin had given him, a notebook and some pens from Mikasa and Eren's old handheld console with a few games he told Levi that he no longer played. Levi, however, had seen Eren play that particular Zelda game just yesterday and knew he was bullshitting.

For two weeks, Levi had lived a life unlike anything he had experienced before in a household consisting of one alpha and two betas. It felt like he had existed in a bubble of unbound time; he had been responsible for nothing and beholden to no one. Despite the nagging worry of how Isabel and Furlan were doing never letting up and Eren's tedious tendency of dogging his footsteps, it had given him time to start the process of recalibrating his world view.

It was late morning when Hange found Levi sitting together with Eren at the kitchen table eating a brunch that was more of a lunch. Eren was eating a meal fit for at least three more people while Levi just had his morning coffee. He wasn't nervous, per say, but there was an unrest in him that he couldn't quite place.

When Eren heard Hange let themselves in and yell their bright, “morning!” he instantly got up and walked upstairs without another word. Levi stared after his retreating back and debated whether it was worth trying to say goodbye. In the end he opted to just pick up his backpack and nod at Hange as he passed them by on his way out the entrance door.

“Awh, you two, don't be like that,” Hange said once they caught up with Levi. He was standing on the bottom step outside the house and squinted up the street. It was awfully bright outside and he had to wipe irritably at a tear running from his strained eyes. Hange must have thought the tear to be the result of quite a different set of emotions as they “ _aw'ed_ ” one more time, though in a barely heard whisper.

“Fuck off,” Levi grunted, but without any malice in his voice, he just couldn't conjure it right then. “So, where's your fucking dumb house?”

“What would your mother say if she heard you talk like that?” Hange chided lightly and gesticulated for Levi to follow them.

“My mother is fucking dead,” Levi replied in a deadpan. Though Kuchel would probably have laughed, then cuffed him for it.

“Well, whose isn't, am I right?” Hange quipped and Levi looked up at them with a raised eyebrow in surprise. That was unexpected, but he hummed in agreement.

Levi had come to understand that all three members of Eren's household were orphans after the Clan Wars. Most of their generation tended to be, after all. Apparently the Smith clan had an unusual amount of them, having taken in far more than their share of orphaned children after the end of the War.

Hange's house turned out ot be one of the largest at the top of the hill before the park that surrounded the mansion. It was painted bright blue with a small tower, turrets, a wide wrap-around porch and a rather large garden. Levi wasn't in the least bit surprised to see that it was in complete disarray and he was eerily reminded of the houses described in some of the horror stories he liked to listen to. Hange accented it nicely as the crazy scientist living there.

Standing outside the gates and peering up at the house that was to be his residence for the foreseeable future, Levi saw something move in the corner of his eye. Jerking around he came to stare up at a gigantic alpha with sandy brown hair and an easy smile.

“Hey there Hange,” the alpha greeted, “and hey there Levi.”

Levi didn't return the greeting, finding it unnerving that this stranger knew who he was, though not surprising.

“I'm Mike,” the man introduced himself after a short moment of awkward silence and reached out a hand. Ignoring the hand, Levi turned to head inside. He didn't really see any reason for standing outside on the pavement.

“Don't worry about it Mike,” Levi heard Hange assure the man, “he doesn't like new people much and is a bit sore because he couldn't stay with Eren.”

“Is that so?” Mike questioned, sounding surprised, “different strokes for different folks, I guess. I take it Eren isn't all that happy either, then?”

“Eh, he-”

“Are you gonna let me inside your fucking house or are you gonna stand out here and gossip, four-eyes?” Levi yelled at Hange and tapped his foot impatiently.

“I'm coming short stack, chill for five seconds!” Hange called back before leaning towards Mike and talking in a low whisper that Levi couldn't overhear.

The both of them peered over at him a couple of times and eventually Levi flipped them a finger, resulting in Mike growling and Hange finally moving their ass to get him inside.

“How come an omega, a _tiny_ omega like you, manages to piss off every gods damned alpha you come across, huh?” Hange asked as they quickly unlocked the door and peered over their shoulder.

Mike was hovering a few meters away, but it didn't appear like he intended to put Levi in his place. He could always try, Levi thought ruefully, and flipped him off again. With a desperate groan, Hange grabbed a hold of his t-shirt and more or less threw him inside before slamming the door after them and locking it.

“What can I say,” Levi shrugged and straightened his rumpled clothing, “it's just too easy to rile them up.”

Crowded, that was the best word Levi could find to describe the interior of Hange's house. They showed him around, the kitchen, the sitting room, library, office, downstairs bathroom, master suite, upstairs bathroom, “messy room” (and it truly was messy), and finally what was to become Levi's room. It was spacious, but decorated like the last occupant had been an eighty year old lady, frills, flowers and all. It also turned out that the house had belonged to Erwin's grandmother.

But, on the plus side, he now finally had his own bed and the room had its own bathroom. After the two weeks sleeping on a couch full of crumbs, Levi couldn't be too picky. Hange left him there to get “situated”, aka unpacking, though it took him less than a minute. When he was done he walked over to the window. It faced out towards a small cluster of trees and what looked like a barn-like structure where Hange probably stored even more crap.

So. An Ackerman had now become a member of the Smith clan. That had to have been the worst attempt at a recruitment ever. It would have been funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

The sun eventually dipped behind the rooftop and the garden slowly fell into darkness. Levi didn't know how late it was, neither could he conjure up what day in the week. He only knew he was supposed to go on a “date” with Eren on Thursday. Levi made a mental note to ask Hange which day it was. Though Eren most likely come and try and physically drag him out when it was time.

The house was eerily quiet. Levi had thought that if anything then Hange would make enough noise for an entire clan on their own. But the only sound he could hear was the pipes in the walls. Privacy hadn't been a thing, at all, at Eren's house so the change should have been welcome. Yet it settled heavily in Levi's chest and squeezed until he was forced to move in an effort to shake it off.

Sauntering into the bathroom he gave it another once over. It had everything it needed to function: sink, mirror, toilet and even a bathtub though the tiles were a dreary grey and the light above the mirror threw a ghastly tinge to everything. Levi mentally shrugged. It was a bathroom, it had a tub, he couldn't complain.

Letting the tap run, he headed into the other bathroom in the hallway to see whether there was any soap he could borrow. He ended up grabbing something that smelled like lavender and applied it generously to the bathwater. Finally he could enjoy a bath without someone pounding on the door wanting to get in after five minutes.

Breathing out and closing his eyes, Levi reclined and let the warm water relax his muscles. He had done absolutely nothing the entire day. He had blinked and then it had been evening. For some reason Levi had become quite good at doing absolutely nothing since he arrived at the Smith's turf. There was a lethargy and a listlessness in him that he couldn't quite shake off. And now thoughts were going through his mind at rapid speed. Worries, what if's and questions. Never ending questions about the future and the warped answers his past gave him.

Idly, Levi traced a bruise in the shape of three fingers on his right thigh where Eren had gripped him. It had faded to a sickly yellow hue and would soon disappear. The alpha's last mark on him, the final physical evidence of what had happened.

A short, muted sob wrecked his body and Levi rubbed his lips with his other hand and closed his eyes tight in an effort to still his mind. Why was it affecting him now? He had learned to live with these things a long time ago.

There was a knock on the door that sounded so familiar and being so expected that Levi didn't even question it before he yelled a, “come in.” When the door opened with a creak he finally remembered that this was Hange's house and Eren shouldn't be slinking in.

“You're like fucking clockwork,” Eren said from the bathroom door and Levi sighed with a heavy eye-roll.

“You knew I was taking a bath so you fucking ran from down the street and up here to annoy me?” Levi struggled to keep back an exhausted laugh.

“Yeah, pretty much,” Eren admitted and walked in like he always did.

“There are no magazines in here for you to read,” Levi told him and splashed some water in his general direction with his foot. Eren made an “oh!” expression and headed out again, returning after half a minute with the handheld console.

“I can finish my save!” he declared and settled down on the lid of the toilet.

“Did Hange let you in or did you do a breaking and entering?” Levi questioned after a while of enjoying the warm water and listening to the music from the game.

“Well... if the door was open is it considered breaking and entering?” Eren questioned in turn.

Levi didn't know, so he merely shrugged and let it be. The heavy feeling that had been squeezing his chest was slowly easing as lavender got replaced with the scent of a warm sea breeze.

Sinking further down into the water, Levi only intended to close his eyes for a moment.

“Hey, wake up, sleepyhead.” Eren's soft voice drew Levi up from a dreamless slumber. Blinking condensed water out of his eyes, Levi stared right into a pair of sea green ones only a few inches from his own.

“What is it, Eren?” he asked drowsily and let his hand fall heavy into the water again. “I was sleeping.”

“I know, and you're going to catch a chill in there. It's been an hour and a half now so I figured you'd want to get up.”

“You've been sitting here with me for an hour and a half?” Levi questioned, though he wasn't all that surprised. Eren shrugged carelessly.

“I finished the game,” he said as a form of explanation. “Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“I'm not hungry,” Levi muttered, though now that Eren had mentioned it he could feel how hollow his stomach was. He still didn't want any food, but he knew he should get some sustenance in his body.

Eren put a warm, dry hand to Levi's cheek and caressed it softly with a feather light touch. His eyes were darting around Levi's face looking at his mouth, the paper-white skin he was touching, Levi's eyes, his nose and brows like he had never properly seen him before. Eren's red lips were parted and glistened in the fluorescent light of the bathroom. Nothing should have been beautiful under that light, yet Eren's focused face took Levi's breath away.

Raising his own hand, Levi trailed one finger across Eren's right eyebrow before brushing some of his long hair behind a pointed ear. Eren's ears were longer and sharper than Levi's. His only got a delicate point to them while Eren's held all the feral nature of an alpha. Also unlike Levi's they didn't have any holes or jewellery and were surprisingly soft to the touch. It twitched under his fingertips and Levi supposed they were rather sensitive.

The warmth that had surfaced deep in his gut a couple of days ago during Erwin's visit was smouldering once again. The sensation was both familiar and so alien, Levi couldn't remember the last time he had felt like this. Desire, want, good old fashioned horny, call it what you want, it was years and years ago since he had felt anything like it.

“Come on, up you get,” Eren decided, wrapping one arm under Levi's knees and the other under his back before unceremoniously hoisting him out of the tub, careless that he himself got drenched in the process.

Looking around the room with a grumbling Levi in his arms, Eren realised that there were no towels. Putting Levi, still dripping wet, down on the bed he briskly headed out of the room in search for some.

Levi considered the beginning of his erection, which Eren thankfully had not noticed, with some nonplussed detachment. When had he last touched himself? He couldn't even remember _that_. Getting up from the bed he walked on shaky legs back to the window and peered out. It was amazing just how much green nature surrounded the small village. Acres and acres of it.

“I snagged a towel from Hange,” Eren declared upon re-entering the room, “I think it's clean... ish.”

Before Levi could loudly voice his opposition, Eren had him wrapped up and was rubbing his entire body vigorously to dry him. Whatever budding desire Levi had felt it was certainly gone now.

Squirming out from Eren's grasp, Levi tried to sound off-handed as he asked, “say Eren, what day is it today?”

“Huh, Wednesday,” Eren replied instantly. His eyes were travelling up and down Levi's body, but Eren had seen him naked so often Levi didn't really notice it anymore.

“Oh, so our da- we're heading out tomorrow, then,” Levi confirmed and nodded to himself, hoping Eren hadn't heard his slip up.

But of course he had. “That's right,” Eren grinned wickedly, “our date's tomorrow!”

Levi had pulled on his sweatpants and grunted in acknowledgement as he sat rolling up the legs. Armin wasn't even all that much taller than him, but for some reason he had ridiculously long legs for his build.

“Don't get so fucking cocky about it,” Levi scolded, but his harsh tone didn't even make a dent in the happiness radiating from Eren's face. Letting out a huff of air, Levi shook his head and wondered not for the first time how much he was fucking things up.

It was late by the time Eren decided to go home, at which point he started nagging Levi to get something to eat. Not really seeing a reason to be stubborn, Levi agreed and followed the alpha downstairs. It was mostly dark in the hallway with only one small lamp lit at the end of it. The house really was too large and empty for only one person, now two, and the silence rested heavy along the halls and corridors.

With his hands in his pockets, Levi stood watching Eren put on his beaten up sneakers and carefully open the door before waving his goodnights and disappearing into the evening darkness. Softly closing and locking it again, Levi turned around only to find Hange standing there watching him. They were wearing loose fitting slacks and a large, knitted sweater, hair piled on top of their head in a messy bun and glasses slipping off their nose.

“Was that Eren I just saw?” Hange inquired and blinked owlishly behind their glasses.

“Yeah, he dropped by,” Levi admitted. He was getting the distinct feeling that Eren's visit should have been kept under wraps by the way Hange's slouching form straightened at the confession.

“How long was he here for? I didn't even notice that he arrived.” Hange's voice was overly jovial and Levi easily pegged for fake.

“For about two hours or so,” Levi muttered, “... we just talked.”

It wasn't exactly the truth, but Levi wasn't about to tell anyone about his and Eren's bath-time habits. The hours spent in that seemingly perennial time, just existing together, was something Levi wrapped up in a tiny ball inside himself and kept hidden. No one got to touch that.

“You do know why you're living with me now, right?” Hange prompted, crossing their arms and leaning up against the archway.

“Yeah, so you can use me as a guinea pig in your research,” Levi grumbled, knowing full well that Hange was gearing up to some sort of lecture.

“Obviously that too!” Hange agreed heartily before turning serious again, “though it is mostly an effort to keep you away from Eren. As I'm sure you've noticed, Eren is very... _alpha-y_.”

Furrowing his brow, Levi tried to not let his frustration show too much. Ever since Levi had arrived at the Smith turf people had talked about Eren like he was some volatile bomb better hidden away from the general public and it was starting to grind on Levi's nerves. He didn't bother spending time figuring out why that nettled him.

“What's your fucking deal anyway-” Levi started to argue.

“Don't get me wrong,” Hange interrupted and held their hands up briefly before crossing them again. “Eren is a sweet kid but... all alphas are territorial to a certain extent, and then some more than others. Eren perhaps mostly so. There is just a worry of how he'll react if he was to get too attached to an omega. It is only natural after all-”

Hange stopped their nattering when Levi turned around and began walking upstairs in the middle of their sentence. The heaviness was back in his chest and he wasn't hungry. Might as well just go to bed.

Silence fell over the house once more.

The next morning Levi spent about half a minute wondering what he was supposed to wear. Then he remembered that he only really had one set of clothing and put them on. Black jeans and a plain, white t-shirt. The shirt was more slim fitting than what he was used to, but beggars couldn't be choosers and all that jazz. Peering into the bathroom mirror he cursed softly at his unkempt, black hair that had decided to grow like wild grass. When it was cut and held back properly it could conceivably stay down, but once it got a life of its own there was no telling in what direction it would stand in when he woke up in the morning.

Rummaging through Hange's stuff in the upstairs bathroom he found a tub of hair wax and stole a small dollop of it. Warming it up between his hands, Levi tried to affect the same styling Furlan had taught him, pulling the hair back from his face and a bit to the side. Narrowing his eyes at his own reflection, Levi eventually shrugged at himself and decided it was good enough. The wind would probably just fuck it all up the moment he stepped outside, anyway.

Downstairs, Hange was bright awake and sat munching on their breakfast in the kitchen. They looked up at Levi, then down at the magazine they had been reading before their head snapped right back up again.

“My, my, don't you look fancy?” Hange commented and raised their eyebrows nearly to the hairline. “You going anywhere today?”

“Yeah,” Levi replied and headed for the can of coffee on the kitchen counter. Thankfully there was still plenty left.

“Oh!” Hange exclaimed in surprise. “Could I ask where? And... with who?”

Levi hesitated in his reply, but bought himself time as he looked through the cupboards for a cup that was clean enough. He ended up having to wash it, anyway.

“To the university,” he eventually answered, his back to Hange as he filled his cup with steaming coffee.

“So you're thinking about applying then?” Hange asked, sounding both excited and intrigued.

The notion of applying to a university had Levi humourlessly grinning at his cup of coffee. Yeah, _that_ would certainly go over well.

“Hange,” Levi began and turned around, leaning his hip against the counter, “I didn't even finish eighth grade. If I tried to apply to anything at the university besides as a trash collector or janitor they'd have me hanged and quartered.”

Hange's spoon clattered into their cereal bowl and splashed milk all over the table, “are you shitting me right now?”

Shrugging, Levi took a sip of his coffee and contemplated whether he should eat anything. He hadn't really eaten since the day before yesterday.

“I haven't been outside the Ackerman perimeters since I was fifteen or so,” he told Hange and began going through the cupboards in search for something easy to eat. There was a packet of unopened Digestive biscuits that he deemed safe to eat. Taking it over to the table he sat down opposite Hange and dipped one into his coffee before munching on it. Levi wondered when Eren would come and pick him up.

“Do you _want_ to finish, though?” Hange asked after a long moment of stunned silence. Levi chewed slowly on a soggy biscuit.

“Not particularly,” he admitted. Getting a degree would involve a lot of reading and that just made his head hurt. Kenny had theorized that Levi might have needed glasses some years back, but nobody had done anything about it and now Levi felt it was too late anyway. Who started high school at thirty years old? No thanks.

Hange was just about to say something, but Levi never figured out what as they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Getting up before Hange could, Levi stepped up to the entrance door and opened it, expecting to find Eren on the other side. Instead it was the massive alpha from yesterday, Mike something, shadowing their doorstep. Levi looked up at him and made a face. He didn't want to admit it, but the appearance of anyone besides Eren had him on edge. Slamming the door shut, Levi headed back into the kitchen to finish his biscuits.

“Who was that?” Hange wondered with their mouth full of cereal and milk.

Levi threw Hange a disgusted look and dipped his cookie again, “that Mike guy I think.”

“Isn't he gonna enter?” Hange asked, peering over Levi and towards the entrance hall.

Said door opened and slammed shut just as Levi shrugged his shoulders again. He didn't care about that alpha so he wasn't about to waste any energy on him.

Mike's hulking shape entered the kitchen, filling it with the scent of bitter citrus, “you're a nasty little shit aren't you?” he threw at Levi and crossed his massive arms over his chest.

“Fuck off,” Levi mumbled and sipped his coffee. All these alphas walking about on their own accord was unnerving.

The clock on the wall informed him that it was ten past eleven in the morning. Shouldn't Eren be showing up soon? Though they hadn't agreed on a time, Levi just always imagined classes to be in the morning.

“Does the clock run correctly?” he asked Hange who peered up at it, then at the one on their wrist, then pulled out their phone.

“Well, there is a 33% chance that it might be!” Hange alleged and smiled at Levi, then at Mike who stood sniffing just behind Levi's left shoulder.

With a grunt, Mike pulled out his own phone, “it is not correct. The time is twenty minutes past ten.”

“Oh well,” Hange shrugged, “I guess none of my times were correct, then.”

Hesitant steps in the hallway and the ocean breeze suffusing the room revealed the second visitor of the day. Levi turned around quickly in his chair and saw Eren come slinking into the room. He eyed Mike hesitantly, but a broad smile couldn't be beaten off his face once he got sight of Levi. The corners of Levi's own mouth tugged upwards in response. Taking his mug and half eaten packet of Digestives over to the kitchen counter, Levi quickly rinsed out the mug and placed the biscuits back in the cupboard.

“Uh, where you are you going?” Hange piped up, stopping Levi just as he turned towards Eren and prepared to leave the comfort of the four walls.

Levi restrained himself from rolling his eyes when he answered, “ _out_. I told you.”

“With Eren? I thought you said you were going to the university?”

“Yeah, I am going to _Eren's_ university... _with_ Eren,” Levi said with a restrained sigh and hoped that explaining it to Hange in bite sized chunks would help them understand.

Hange was tapping the spoon against the table and chewed the inside of their mouth. They really looked agitated as they murmured, “is that, uh, such a good idea?”

A large hand fell on the nape of Levi's neck and the pure shock at the audacity of that type of contact had Levi frozen for a moment. Staring up at Mike he couldn't believe this unknown alpha had the actual guts to touch him without permission. And especially the nape of his neck. But Levi didn't have time to retaliate. Predictably as ever, Eren came charging in and despite being nearly half the size of Mike, he shoved the much larger alpha hard enough for him to slam into the cabinets with a loud thud and a grunt. Shaking his head after the impact, Mike was on his feet in no time and ready to give as good as he got, but Hange threw themselves in his path. Placing both their hands on his chest, the much smaller beta looked ridiculous trying to hold the giant back.

Likewise Levi turned to Eren and put a hand on the agitated alpha's bare underarm. Skin against skin.

“Are we going for that coffee or no?” Levi asked quietly. He knew Eren was paying attention to him despite the protruding fangs and golden shimmer.

Placing his full concentration on Levi, Eren took a deep breath to compose himself and nodded eagerly, “yeah! Of course we're going Levi, come on.”

Turning their backs on the alpha and the beta, Eren and Levi headed towards the hallway and the sunshine that promised a balmy day outside.

“Levi! Take care of Eren okay? He tends to get in a lot of shit,” Hange called after them, and when Levi looked over his shoulder he found Hange standing in the middle of the kitchen looking mildly distraught.

“Don't worry- I would be the worst thing that could happen to him out there,” Levi said with a smirk, “and since I have no plans of kicking his ass as of now, he's safe.”

A bright grin spread across Hange's face and their peals of laughter followed them outside.

“What was Mike doing at Hange's house, anyway?” Eren wondered as they took a right turn and began walking down the street towards the gates.

“Don't know,” Levi answered honestly. “He was skulking about yesterday as well. I think he's Erwin's hengeman sent to check up on us.”

The sun bore down on them and Levi felt the pale skin on his arms already start to prick with the promise of a sunburn. Eren was much better prepared for the weather wearing a pair of sunglasses, a blue Vans cap and smelling of sunscreen.

“Isn't that a bit paranoid, though?” Eren wondered and scrunched his nose up in thought. Levi shrugged. Perhaps it was, though keeping tabs on a new member of a clan wasn't all that far-fetched in his opinion.

The small village was quiet around them with most of its inhabitants off to work or school. It was such an alien concept to him that all the members of the clan lived as small families in the neat and tidy houses. Like a perfect little suburban community of potentially vicious killers.

When the Clan Wars ended in a cease-fire fifteen years earlier a concord was reached between the leaders of the remaining clans, the _no dym_ military and their government. Perimeters were redrawn and enforced with walls and, excepting those who specifically applied for residence in half-way houses, dynamics were not allowed to live outside said perimeters. In the immediate aftermath of the war while the city was still being rebuilt, dynamics were not allowed to leave their perimeters at all except in small groups to restock on food and supplies. Levi hadn't heard much about it at the time, but apparently that ban was lifted some two years later and dynamics could once again attend school and get jobs in _no dym_ society. For Levi that had never become a reality.

Shielding his eyes with his hand, Levi squinted at the houses as they passed them. It just felt odd, this potential army pretending to be normal families. Undercover and unsuspecting until the cease-fire lifted and war broke out again. This clan certainly had its fair share of powerful alphas and crafty betas, though sorely lacking in omegas. Perhaps Erwin had realised the same mistake and that was why Levi was allowed to stay, like Eren and Mikasa had proposed. He doubted the intention to be that innocent, though.

Eren removed his sunglasses and held them out for Levi to take with a smile, “take 'em, unlike you I'm used to the sun.”

Taking them without comment, relief washed over Levi the moment shade fell over his eyes and he could see properly again. Trudging down the avenue with the grand oak trees felt different in the bright sunshine of mid morning as opposed to the stormy day when they had arrived.

“Sorry I snapped back there, by the way,” Eren apologized quietly as the gate came into view. “It's just hard seeing other alphas, uhm, touch you and stuff. I know it's not my place to think that-”

“It's normal, don't sweat it,” Levi interrupted. If Eren was going to start apologizing for every alpha thing he did there would be no end to it.

A slight touch on his shoulder had Levi turn around and upon noticing that Eren had stopped, he halted as well. Eren's hands were deep in his pockets and he was kicking at the ground with his dirty sneakers. “I hate it when you say I am just like all the other alphas,” he admitted.

Levi looked up at Eren from behind his sunglasses and did his best to rein in his impatience.

“But you _are_ an alpha, you're gonna be behaving like one,” Levi pointed out. Sometimes Eren just needed to get things spelled out for him.

Eren huffed in annoyance and brushed his loose hair behind his ears, presumably to stall for time to find a proper reply.

“I want to be better than that,” he eventually asserted, “I want to be better than all the other alphas for you.”

Well wasn't that fucking sweet, Levi thought sardonically. Yet the acid was mostly gone from Levi's voice when he replied, “this might come as a surprise to you, but I have heard that exact same sentence before as well.”

Eren's mouth opened and closed and his eyes shifted between Levi's as he tried to read a lie or a joke in there somewhere.

“What then?” Eren wondered, his voice nearly drowned out by the wind blowing through the canopies around them.

“I dunno,” Levi answered, “perhaps focus less on the alpha and more on Eren. I'll let you know when you get too pushy.” Levi had meant it somewhat as a joke, but Eren's stony face had him frowning again.

“Do you promise?” Eren urged, “do you _promise_ you won't ever let me do anything you don't want?”

“What the hell Eren,” Levi muttered and had to make a conscious effort not to cross his arms and placed them in his pockets instead. “Have I ever let you do anything I didn't want?”

A shadow of emotion passed over Eren's eyes and his jaw tightened as he swallowed several times. His intense gaze didn't leave Levi's, wanting him to understand without having to utter the words. Stilted images from the night they had been locked together in a cell flickered through Levi's mind, always there under the surface waiting for him to remember.

“You were not the alpha putting me in that cell,” Levi stressed, voice low, “it wasn't _your_ command burning through me that night.”

It had been Kenny. It had always been Kenny. A simmering rage so familiar that it almost felt like an old friend roiled in Levi's gut. It was answered in Eren's clawed fist, in his white fangs, in the redgold glint in his eyes.

“One day I'll kill that alpha,” Eren snarled, “I'll bury the Ackermans in the dirt they live in.”

They stood shrouded in dappled shadows and the sun felt distant and cold. To kill Kenny, to kill the Ackermans. Levi snorted. It was a ludicrous idea. They called him Ackerman simply because it had been his previously affiliated clan, they didn't know he was _the_ Ackerman. Levi hadn't told Eren or anybody else that he was Kenny's only living blood relative, that the turf should in all rightfulness belong to _him_ if Kenny was to die.

Not for the first time did Levi wonder what was taking Kenny so long. The Clan Alpha knew where his omega was, why hadn't he attempted to retrieve him? Or at the very least contact him somehow. Levi knew Kenny didn't fear Smith, so there had to be a calculated reason why and Levi wasn't looking forward to finding out.

“Get in line, then,” Levi muttered and began walking down the avenue again. They were probably late to whatever it was one did at the university.

“How can you be so cold?” Eren yelled after him, still stuck in place and fighting his inner demons.

“Experience,” Levi lied without missing a beat and kept on walking. After a moment he could hear Eren's prowling gait catch up to him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“What's that?” Levi asked and pointed at the beverage in her hand._
> 
> _“This? It's an iced caramel latte with extra whipped cream, because that is the only way to live,” she grinned and took another sip of it._
> 
> _“What does it taste like?” Levi kept on interrogating. It didn't look like any coffee he had ever seen before, though it smelled vaguely like it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music: [Untrust us - Crystal Castles](https://open.spotify.com/track/3q2yH1T78FptWtAmCpQlrG?si=c82Mss-TS2GLAL2z0yy1MA)

The tram was not such a harrowing experience when Levi wasn't drenched, shivering and running from his clan, though he still didn't like it. The amount of people was uncomfortable and most of them being _no dyms_ had Levi on edge. Eren must have noticed even through the stink of sweating _no dyms_ because his arm wouldn't leave Levi's shoulders. Levi let it stay there despite the attention they were getting with _no dyms_ looking them up and down, probably making up their minds about what they thought of the alpha and omega duo. Perhaps it was as Eren had said: they'd assume any relationship between two such dynamics to be unstable and unequal. Levi didn't know what pissed him off the most: the way _no dyms_ assumed abuse or the almost reverent romanticism prevalent with dynamics.

He was pulled out of his musings when two seats opened up after a couple of stops and Eren moved them both over. The _no dym_ who had been eyeing the same seats jumped back with a small, choked yelp when Eren breezily cut past him. The man wasn't small by _no dym_ standards, but he shrank next to Eren who barely afforded him a glance in passing.

Eren waited for Levi to slide into his seat before sitting down himself. Like most places made for _no dyms_ , the seats were a little too high up for Levi. He could reach the floor with his feet, but it was only barely. In contrast, Eren had to angle his legs to not crush them up against the seat in front of him.

Leaning back in his seat, Levi glanced out of the window. Thankfully the tram wasn't moving that fast, slowing down to go through a heavily populated residential area it looked like. The tall buildings were spread with wide avenues, trees and green areas between them. This was a part of the city Levi had never been to before, or at least he couldn't remember it, and it looked quite affluent as far as he was able to judge. With the onset of summer the foliage was vibrantly green in opposition to the almost dreary grey of the stone buildings. Definitely an older part of the city.

Preoccupied alternating between looking at the ornate architecture and the people milling about out on the pavement, Levi was taken by surprise by a sudden gap between the evenly distanced structures. Where there should have been buildings there was a crater, the remnants of what must once have been there heaped into rubble and discarded. The stone was marred with black soot, though the destruction didn't appear to have been from a fire, not unless the fire was delivered with bombs or heavy armoury. The crater carried on for almost the entire block. Its destruction was almost obscene next to the tidy order of the rest of the district.

“What happened there?” Levi inquired, turning to Eren to find him looking away from the scene.

“You don't kn-” Eren began, but interrupted himself when he remembered that no, Levi usually didn't fucking know, “that's the remains of the Zoe clan.”

The Zoe clan? So, “Hange's clan?” Levi wondered out loud and turned back to it. The tram was still trundling along the site of destruction.

“Yeah, it got absolutely wrecked during the war,” Eren hummed, a note of despondency in his voice, “as far as I know, only Hange and Armin and a few others survived.”

Armin had belonged to Hange's clan? That was certainly news to Levi and he wondered whether the Smith clan had been the one to sack it in the first place or if they had opened their gates to survivors in the aftermath. Considering Hange's high standing in the clan, he was inclined to believe the latter. The self sufficient beta didn't strike him as someone who played sycophant to their oppressor.

“Do you know which clan did it?” Levi asked. Perhaps he should have this conversation with Hange instead of prying in their business on a public transport.

“Don't know which clan,” Eren replied, turning away from the grotesque sight once again, “all I know is that when the Clan Alpha got mauled, the _no dym_ military bombed the shit out of it rather than risk Zoe patented weaponry falling into the wrong hands.”

Well, that explained why the devastated buildings still crumbled in the dust rather than being rebuilt. They stood as a warning.

It wasn't especially surprising to hear that, all things considered, nor the barely suppressed tinge of fury in Eren's voice. Eren and Armin were about the same age Levi hazarded, meaning they were about ten or eleven when the War ended, leaving them plenty of time to fester in the injustice of all the things that happened, both by the hands of other clans as well as the _no dym_ government.

Brow furrowed and eyes glassy with thought, Eren seemed unaware of his own actions when he replaced the arm around Levi's shoulders and pulled him to his chest. Feeling vaguely annoyed by the intimate gesture in public, Levi was about to snap and move away when his eyes caught sight of something. The sun shining in from the window glinted in a silver chain around Eren's neck that Levi had never noticed before. Tugging at the chain, he pulled out a small, rectangle card in plastic and it suddenly dawned on him what he was seeing: Eren's dID, his dynamics identification card. On it was a picture of Eren and two thick, blue stripes declaring him a class B dynamic. He was probably bunked down to B from A because of his alpha status making him more of a loose canon for the _no dym_ police. The card also carried information on his clan affiliation, blood type, profession and full name and date of birth. Eren Grisha Jaeger. Levi swallowed twice and his eyelids fluttered momentarily. He hadn't known Eren's full name and somehow that affected him.

And that meant- _shit_ , Levi had fucking forgotten that dIDs were something you needed outside the perimetres.

“I don't have a dID,” Levi said out loud, even though Eren was probably very much aware of this.

“Eh, don't worry, they're super lazy with the dID controls,” Eren assured him, “I only got checked like two times last year.”

Levi tried to find any hint of anxiousness in either Eren's face or scent, but he appeared just as unconcerned as he sounded, and so Levi leaned back against his shoulder and let the topic slide.

When it was their time to get off the tram, Eren's arm was still draped around Levi's shoulders like it had every right to be there. And, though Levi would not admit this to anyone in a million years, it felt like safety when they stepped off the tram and made their way through the throng of people on the university campus. Young people off all types, dynamics and creeds were scurrying everywhere, backpacks or messenger bags slung over their shoulders, music in their ears or talking on the phone.

A jagged piece of ice pierced through Levi's heart as he realised that Isabel and Furlan would have loved this. He could almost see them laughing and walking across the campus with their friends, hurrying off to whatever it was students did. This should have been their lives. Inquisitive, bold and full of life as they were, always wanting to be outside and discovering.

If Levi hadn't fucking ran away he might have been able to change things, make it better for them. But then again, if he hadn't he would never have seen this in the first place. The vertigo that he had felt the first week after leaving the Ackerman clan hit him full force and he nearly stumbled on the cobblestones, but Eren steered them towards a set of doors and held them open for Levi to enter. Inside was blessedly cool, quiet and dark and he took a deep, shuddering breath.

“Most people are outside when the weather is so nice, so it should be a bit more manageable inside,” Eren explained as they walked down the mostly empty hallways, their footsteps echoing.

“Outside is very overrated,” Levi decided. Already his arms had a red hue to them and he suspected he'd be peeling off skin in the bath that evening.

Eren pulled off his cap and ruffled his hair while smirking, “you looked like a very annoyed vampire out there- though I wouldn't mind if you sucked _my_ blood.”

“Your flirting is terrible,” Levi sighed and finally pulled off the sunglasses. It was nice to be able to see normally again.

The walls were covered in pictures and billboards filled to the brim with posters of all types. Stopping to look at some, Levi found they were advertisements for clubs: martial arts, arts and crafts, book clubs, writing classes, cooking, some just seemed to be generic social gatherings and more.

“You do any of this?” Levi inquired, looking especially at a poster with a picture of a small woman throwing a much larger man over her shoulder.

“Nah,” Eren shrugged, “alphas aren't typically welcome at most of these.”

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Levi looked at Eren in a silent question for him to elaborate on that statement.

“These are almost all made by _no dyms_ and they don't like alphas much, since they figure we're too aggressive,” Eren explained. He didn't look too worked up about it and merely had a small, resigned smile on his face.

They continued down the corridors and eventually entered through a door with the text “East Auditorium 7” above it. There were a few other people scattered around in front of the large screen down at the bottom. Eren found somewhere on the middle for them to sit and pulled out some paper, a very thick course book and a pen from his backpack.

“I always intend to take notes, but I never do,” Eren revealed and showed Levi the notebook that had exactly one headline and a lot of doodles.

Levi cautiously opened the book that had the title _Biomolecular Thermodynamics_ on it. There were a lot of graphs and very tiny text and Levi shut it immediately.

“The author can get a bit dry and lose themselves on tangents sometimes, but otherwise I like their more theoretical approach to-” Eren's review of the book was interrupted by a smooth, feminine voice calling out.

“Eren! I thought you were gonna ditch today for sure.”

Both Eren and Levi turned to see a small woman with long, blonde hair shimmy her way along the rows of desks towards them. She was smiling brightly and seemed slightly out of breath. With a lot of bustle she thumped her heavy backpack down on the floor and gave Eren a quick hug before her eyes fell on Levi.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, “you a friend of Eren's? My name's Historia.” The woman held out a small, delicate hand and Levi eyed it for a while before deciding to take it. The strength in the small fist surprised him, but positively so. As a beta her scent wasn't very intrusive and Levi suspected that the cinnamon belonged not to Historia herself, but to an alpha close to her.

“That's Levi,” Eren declared proudly with an abashed grin on his face, “we're on a _date_.”

Levi huffed with a twinge of embarrassment. Historia's blue eyes widened at the declaration and then she burst out laughing, probably at the ridiculous pride written in large letters all over Eren.

“Is that so?” she murmured once the fit was over and smiled warmly at Levi, “bringing his date to class is a very Eren thing to do- so let me guess: you go to Trost Met and Eren just _had_ to show you how much more awesome Trost U is?”

“Something like that,” Levi shrugged, though he had no idea what Trost Met was, “he promised me coffee, so I agreed.”

“That makes sense, Trost U coffee _is_ some of the best you can get,” Historia revealed in a stage whisper, “though don't tell Ymir I said that, she'd freak out.”

“Only degenerate artists who look forward to a life of starvation go to Trost Met,” Eren declared loudly, making some of the people in the auditorium glance back at him quickly.

“I seriously wouldn't put up with that from my boyfriend if I were you,” Historia grinned consiprationally at Levi and winked, showing that she wasn't actually serious, “you better put him in his place now or he'll become impossible later.”

“Don't worry, Eren doesn't get away with shit,” Levi promised Historia who giggled in delight, her cheeks bright red and humour glinting in her eyes.

The loud smack of a heavy door closing interrupted them and the light above dimmed, forcing their attention down to the bottom of the auditorium. A small woman with white hair and thick glasses commenced the lecture and Levi zoned out instantly. Eren was paying rapt attention to everything that happened while Historia wrote like a madwoman with several different coloured pens in her glittery notebook. Feeling himself growing bored, Levi took Eren's notebook and pen and began drawing little doodles next to the ones already there.

He wondered what it would have been like if he actually was a student from Trost Met, visiting his boyfriend's university for a morning. His line of thought continued from there and onto the subject of boyfriends in general. Levi had a couple when he was younger. They had mostly just been furtive and desperate affairs that never really amounted to much. Whenever Kenny discovered them, which was always, he promptly kicked the guy out of the clan. At least that was what Levi chose to pretend their sudden disappearances indicated, though he knew better, of course.

Heat was radiating off the arm Eren had resting casually in his lap as he sat staring at the screen with all the graphs. He was wholly preoccupied and didn't seem to notice when Levi moved a little closer. The auditorium was chilly and Levi felt a bit cold, that was all.

Why was being around Eren so easy? Arrogant, loud-mouthed and brash alpha that he was, Levi still felt perfectly at ease around him.

Warmth enveloped Levi's hand and looking down to discover that Eren had encased it in his own. Eren's attention was still undivided on the professor and the action seemed almost unconsciously made. For a split second Levi contemplated whether he should extract his hand but then, what else had been the point of a “date”? He had agreed to it with some type of goal, a wish of some kind, something that he had yet to fully form and come to terms with even in his own mind.

Eren's hand was dry and his thumb caressed Levi's wrist softly. The light and seemingly idle touch sent goosebumps up Levi's arm and he fluttered his eyes shut for a second just to bask in it. How the hand offered comfortable warmth and how it demanded nothing, wasn't going to take anything from him. Didn't bind, or restrict, or force.

The lecture continued with their hands casually entwined and Levi used his left to doodle some really bad drawings. In the end he was just spelling out profanities and colouring them in. It all stopped as quickly as it had started. The lecturer gave them a list of expected reading for next time and exited the room with another loud clang of the door. The lights were turned on again and Levi had to blink several times to adjust to it.

“Why have you written 'fuck' and 'shit' like twenty times in my book?” Eren asked as he sat peering down on the paper Levi had been defiling. Levi shrugged and slammed the book shut again.

“So far Trost U has been boring,” Levi declared, “give me coffee.”

“It's probably really crowded there now during mid lecture break,” Historia pointed out, “I always wait until quarter past when I know everyone are busy with lectures again.”

Well, Levi wasn't about to argue that logic. The less people he had to deal with, the better.

“I could show you around a bit first,” Eren suggested and squeezed the hand he was still holding, “like the library and stuff.”

“You mean that place you never go to?” Levi asked glibly and smirked when he heard Historia laugh and Eren groan.

“Even if I never go there, I still remember where it is,” Eren joked back while he tried to pack his bag with only one hand. Levi pretended not to notice the warm smile Historia was giving them as she saw their clasped hands.

It felt all too exposed, this thing that was nothing but a furtive wish. Slowly, Levi extracted his hand when they stood up only for Eren to turn around and look at him with those eyes that always questioned. Always needed. Levi met them with a look of his own that he hoped was able to convey something that could ease Eren's search. It must have been enough, because that beautiful smile was back when they exited the auditorium.

They strolled around, Eren showing off the grand library and some of the lesser grand ones, pointing out the book stores and the cafés. On Historia's insistence they crossed the park to look at some of the beehives that were being kept there. Levi had never seen anything quite like it before and Historia was happy to tell him a bit about how they worked. Apparently she volunteered in keeping them together with a group of apiarists and though she kept the topic light to begin with, she was soon delving deep into the nitty gritty of bee keeping. When terms like “ _nasonov pheromones_ ” and “ _propolis_ ” got used Levi got up and walked away.

“Ah, don't worry Historia, he's just like that,” Eren hurried to explain as they followed Levi across the grass.

“That's fine,” Historia assured him, “he stuck to it longer than I expected.”

The café Eren had wanted to visit was mostly empty by the time they got there, with only a few students sitting on their laptops and a group of professors talking in a corner. Eren pointed at a blackboard hanging on the wall that stretched the entire length of the counter, full of foreign names and prices and asked Levi what he wanted. Blinking slowly, Levi tried to make some semblance of sense out of the gibberish written there. He realised that some of it was coffee and some of it was tea, but beyond that he couldn't really say. Moving his lips, which was his habit when reading, he tried to sound out some of the words to see if that could give him any clarification. Eren stood patiently by him, waiting for Levi to make up his mind.

Historia had already gotten hers, a beige concoction with ice cubes and a lot of cream and she was sipping on it with delight.

“I'll leave you two now,” she declared, “I've imposed on your date long enough.”

“What's that?” Levi asked and pointed at the beverage in her hand.

“This? It's an iced caramel latte with extra whipped cream, because that is the only way to live,” Historia grinned and took another sip of it.

“What does it taste like?” Levi kept on interrogating. It didn't look like any coffee he had ever seen before, though it smelled vaguely like it.

“Taste it,” Historia prompted and held the paper straw forward for Levi to try.

Swapping spit with a person he had just met wasn't really high on Levi's agenda, but he was curious now about these strange coffees. Eventually he talked himself into leaning forward and hesitantly opened his mouth, pulling the straw in with his tongue to take a slow sip. Sweetness and saltiness filled his mouth and he closed his eyes briefly, revelling in the novelty of it.

Pulling back, Levi nearly smiled as he licked his lips to make sure he hadn't missed any of it.

“I want that,” he demanded of Eren and turned to see the man staring at him, completely red in the face.

Distracted by Eren's discomposure, Levi startled when he felt a wet kiss on his cheek and turned back to find Historia smiling at him.

“It was really nice meeting you, Levi,” she confessed, “Eren deserves someone good. Now, bye you two and enjoy your date. See you next week Eren-” Historia waved over at the person behind the counter, “-take care Petra!”

With a swish of blonde, cinnamon scented hair and a wave, Historia was out the door.

Now that it was only Levi and Eren, excepting the few strangers around them, Levi felt himself relaxing a bit more. Inhaling, Levi expected to be enveloped in the usual scent of sea air from a content Eren, but instead he was met with something charged and tumultuous. Upheaving like a storm. Eren stood very quietly, leaning up against an empty table with his head bent and the bill of his cap pulled down low over his face.

Behind the counter stood a small woman, her strawberry blonde hair pulled up into a messy bun and her brown eyes wide as she stared at Eren. There was something haunted in her look that revealed an intimate knowledge of what was happening with the alpha and that it scared her. Despite her fear, she was probably too well raised to do anything much without being given a direct command. An omega working at a place like this was in and of itself interesting, but Levi had more pressing matters to attend to.

“Are you trying not to throw a fit because Historia kissed my cheek?” Levi teased and walked boldly in between Eren's legs and peered up at his face hidden under the cap. His eyes were shining a bright gold, almost luminescent, and his canines were poking out over his bottom lip. If the situation hadn't been teetering on such an edge, Levi would have been tempted to call it cute.

The woman behind the counter hitched a gasp, “sir, you really shouldn't approach him. I'll call my manager or something-”

“Don't worry about it,” Levi assured her without taking his eyes off of Eren. He'd seen the alpha in worse conditions and, call it the omega in him, he knew Eren would never hurt him. Knew it to the core of his very being.

“You're making a scene, you know,” Levi continued, kicking Eren's foot lightly with his own, “and you promised me a coffee.”

A huff of warm air was released from between Eren's red lips and he fluttered his eyes at Levi before smiling, his canines glinting.

“You're such a tool,” Eren grumbled, his voice raspy, “you have no idea how hard this is.”

“I have a fairly good idea,” Levi murmured and nudged his hip into the very obvious erection Eren was sporting.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Eren groaned and bent over even further trying to seem inconspicuous, “fuck off you little asshole, you're gonna be the death of me.”

Levi was really tempted to laugh, the sensation bubbling in his chest, but he managed to keep it in check. Sure Eren wouldn't hurt him, but there was no need in pushing the alpha any further.

“Maybe head into the bathroom then, because you're scaring the little omega behind the counter,” Levi suggested and he just couldn't stop himself from needling just a bit more, “I don't mind if you think about me while you're in there, though.”

Eren pulled his hands out of his pockets and grabbed Levi's arms with a growl, but there was no force in it, more playful than aggressive and Levi didn't bother shrugging off the hold.

“I'm _this_ close to dragging you in there with me,” Eren whispered in Levi's ear, making the hairs on Levi's neck stand on end and heat coil in his stomach.

“Sure, but you won't,” Levi replied in a gruff whisper and pushed Eren on the shoulder, jerking his chin towards the door in the back clearly labelled 'toilets'.

With a last squeeze of Levi's arms, Eren got up and headed quickly in that very direction, keeping his head down and avoiding anyone's gaze. Sure, being an omega was a hassle most of the time, but it could get quite awkward being an alpha too, once in a while.

The woman behind the counter was eyeing Levi warily as he walked up to her. The tag on her apron bore the name 'Petra' and a small sticker of a yellow flower.

“How did you do that?” Petra demanded, her lips thin and brow furrowed. Any nervousness in her was gone and had been replaced with determination.

“Do what?” Levi asked, wondering how long it would take before he could taste that coffee once again.

Petra leaned over the counter and looked around the coffee shop, but no one had taken particular notice. Thanks to Eren's relative discreetness, nobody but a dynamic would have understood what just happened.

“How did you get the alpha to leave you alone, just like that?” Petra whispered, “you just shoved him away and he went like an obedient dog- he was inches away from ravaging you right here on the floor.” Huffing, Petra held her index finger and thumb close together in front of her face and scowled, “-and I was _this_ close from calling the security!”

“Well...” Levi started before stopping to put his thoughts in order.

He had seen Petra's ilk before. Despite the Ackerman clan's reputation of harbouring vicious alphas it also got a reputation for its omegas. One fact naturally leading to the other, as was the case. Beaten, lost and desperate omega often showed up at their gates, not knowing where to go and only having heard that the Ackermans would let them in. They were more often than not also the type of people who had a reason to learn how to fight.

“Have you ever been so furious you've wanted to gouge someone's eyes out just for looking at you wrong?” Levi questioned.

Her face stilled and though she did not express a positive answer, there was really no need. The fire burning in those seemingly innocent brown eyes harboured years of contempt and the scent of strawberry, which should have been sweet, was tangy and bitter.

“I learned early on how to teach alphas that underestimating omegas is a very dangerous thing for them to do,” Levi told her quietly, letting one claw scrape against the woodwork of the counter, “they might have told you all your life that you're weak and only fit for nursing babies, but you know better- you know the rage.”

Petra's hand that was resting on the counter alongside Levi's twitched and a set of small claws were revealed.

“They aren't very strong yet, but I have been practising on my own,” Petra whispered as if this was a deep and guilty secret she'd been keeping. Which it probably was- it could get her killed depending on which clan she belonged to.

Staring at the pale, pink claws next to Levi's own long, vicious and black ones reminded him of Isabel and the sorry state she had been in when she literally dropped down from one of the fences around the perimeter. Too young and too skinny, though still full of life, she had been a natural talent and Levi's quickest student. Her feral fighting style and extreme agility had been enough for Levi to convince Kenny that she was better as a fighting omega than a recruiter.

“I am an Ackerman...” Levi revealed grudgingly, he didn't want Petra to go banging on those gates, not if Levi wasn't there to make sure things went well, “but I'm not staying with them right now.”

“Oh, you live at a half-way house, then?” Petra probed, sounding too casual to truly be.

There were plenty of reasons why admitting to living with the Smith clan wasn't a good idea. First, Levi was pretty certain that Kenny knew where he was, but he wasn't a hundred percent sure and there was no need to make it easier to be found. Second, if Petra was to try and get access to the Smith clan she was in for a nasty surprise. Levi made a noncommital shrug- she could believe whatever she wanted.

“Do you remember what coffee the blonde girl had, the one who was with us earlier?” Levi inquired instead, “I want what she had.”

“Historia? Sure, she had an iced caramel latte,” Petra nodded, though her expression was rather nonplussed, “do you want the extra whipped cream too?”

“Of course,” Levi replied deadpan. Why wouldn't he want to have extra whipped cream if he could? What a question. A small smile which Levi could only describe as indulgent curled at the corners of Petra's mouth.

“Of course,” she echoed before hurrying off to make the sweet and salty concoction.

Curious, Levi stood watching Petra scurry around, grinding ice and operating a machine that had her stand on tiptoes because she was so small. An omega might be working at the café, but it certainly wasn't made for one in mind, Levi thought irritably as Petra lugged around a small stepping ladder.

A door shutting at the far end of the café signalled Eren's return and Levi glanced over to find a much calmer alpha. The redness in Eren's cheeks was still deep and flushed, but his eyes shone a bright green and his lips pulled back in an easy smile. Finding that he was staring, Levi returned his attention back to Petra and the soon-to-be coffee and let his nose do the rest of the work. Beyond the coffee and caramel wafted the contented scent of a sea breeze and Levi gave Petra a small nod when she looked at him inquisitively.

“ _Is it safe?_ ” “ _Yes,_ ” read their silent conversation.

The coffee was done and Petra slid it across the counter towards Levi before smiling politely at Eren, waiting for his order. Leaving them to it, Levi took his cup and moved over to one of the available tables the furthest away from anyone else.

Several students sat outside on the small lawn in front of the café basking in the sun like lizards, their books propped open but forgotten. They laughed carelessly, some obviously flirting by carefully touching hands or hair. Levi thought about the way Eren tended to stroke the pads of his fingers over the short hairs at the nape of Levi's neck. It was, for all intents and purposes, an unconscious gesture and Levi was pretty sure Eren wasn't always aware that he was doing it. Though the soft touches left a residue of his scent on Levi and he was pretty certain _that_ was always intentional.

The air around Levi shifted and there was a heavy presence hovering behind him, wanting to remain unnoticed. But Levi would have noticed Eren sneaking onto a footballfield- his imprint in the room was like a burning fire. And so Levi didn't startle when Eren questioned casually, “seeing anything interesting out there?”

Levi wasn't about to admit that he'd been scrutinizing the young couples courting and merely shrugged.

“Not really,” he muttered and turned to look up at Eren before taking the first sip of his coffee. It tasted if possible even better than the sip he'd gotten from Historia.

Eren took the chair next to Levi at the small, round table and placed his own coffee down. It had more whipped cream than Levi's and little chunks of cookies on top.

“That looks really unhealthy,” Levi commented before stealing a piece of cookie and popping it in his mouth.

Eren watched the movement keenly, his ears twitching before he pushed the cup towards Levi for him to take more. Levi didn't really feel like it, the cocoa too prominent for his tastes, but took another piece to gratify the alpha. Even if the cookie itself wasn't his thing, the satisfaction on Eren's face was pleasurable enough to warrant another bite.

“You'll make me fat,” Levi complained and pushed the offered cup away.

“Doubtful, you're fitter than most alphas I know,” Eren countered and sipped the coffee, “I could drink ten of these and wouldn't notice in the slightest.”

“Braggart,” Levi muttered. He had leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, watching Eren sitting next to him by resting his chin on the back of his hand.

“If there was an apocalypse and a shortage of food I'd be fucked though,” Eren said and laughed, “I'd starve after one day.”

“Omegas would survive by eating dead alphas,” Levi nodded, “sounds just about right.”

“I promise, if I die in an apocalypse you got dibs on my body,” Eren proffered, “I have some really nice glutes that would last you for days.”

“Yes, your _glutes_ sure are fine,” Levi teased, enjoying the deepening colour on Eren's face once he understood what Levi was getting at.

“You've been looking have you?” Eren countered, a satisfied grin on his face despite his fluster.

To still the smile that was threatening to surface on Levi's own face, he took a long sip of his coffee and merely cocked an eyebrow suggestively in reply. That earned him another surprised laugh from Eren and the redness spread all the way to the tips of his pointed ears. The nearly childish joy at the compliment was written plain on the alpha's face, and it had Levi's heart fluttering-

-and then freeze. There was the cold certainty of imminent pain. _Loss_. Taking a deep breath, Levi let his mind go mute to carefully distance himself from the onslaught.

Eren was talking, but Levi wasn't really listening. Just stared at the other man's animated face as he gestured while he spoke, Eren's green eyes shining in humour at whatever it was he was talking about. A jingle of bells above the door signalled the entrance of more customers and Levi listened to their murmured chatter as they ordered what they wanted from Petra. Levi's pale hand clutching the coffee was cold from the drink, but warmed up by the sun shining in on them from the window. The many impressions and sensations washed over him in continuous waves, these unfamiliar things that would have been completely overwhelming if he didn't have an anchor point.

Levi wanted... he wanted _something_.

Slowly, fighting his better judgement, Levi brought the hand that wasn't holding the cup to the table and placed it, palm up. Eren immediately stopped talking and looked at it. His response was not hesitant, but it was careful. With measured movements, like he didn't want to scare away a wild animal, Eren lifted his own large hand and placed it ever so carefully into Levi's. The skin of their fingers barely brushed and the warmth of Eren's hand enveloped Levi's own cold one once again.

And there it was, that fragile tendril of the beginning of a _connection_. It was nothing short of weakness that had Levi even considering opening up for something like that again. The stupidity of a child who just wouldn't realise that putting their hand on the stove would result in pain.

“I suppose we make for an interesting pair,” Levi said and nodded towards the table filled with what he assumed was elderly professors. They were _no dyms_ and by the darkening looks on their faces, they had quite a few opinions in regards to an alpha and an omega pair.

Eren merely grinned cheekily at them until they turned away, pretending they hadn't been staring in the first place.

“Of course we do,” Eren agreed easily and leaned a bit further back in his chair. He used his cup to indicating the both of them by tipping the straw towards Levi and then himself, “when even _no dyms_ notice us I am sure that if we put our minds to it, we could set the world on fire.”

The alpha was still smiling, the tips of his canines pushing into his bottom lip. Perhaps the look of delight and the wording should have made Levi uncomfortable, but it didn't particularly.

“That isn't typically something anyone would brag about,” Levi replied and sipped slowly on his coffee. Then he removed the lid with one hand and used the straw to scoop some whipped cream into his mouth.

“I'm not bragging, just laying out the facts,” Eren stated just as agreeably. They could as well have been discussing the weather. “Don't you feel it too?”

Of course Levi could feel it. He let his hand twitch where it lay connected to Eren's on the table, the thrum between them charging slowly. Levi had felt it the moment he had set a foot inside the bunker where they had tried to keep the alpha bound. The restraints Eren had managed to tear straight out of the concrete wall in order to get at Levi. And what had the big alpha done then, frenzied in his rage induced rut? Sniffed him and licked him, that was what. This horribly powerful alpha. Levi hummed darkly into his sweet coffee.

“What?” Eren prompted, his own smile widening in reply to Levi's humour.

“Maybe talking about our fighting strength in public isn't the wisest move,” Levi answered instead of revealing his thoughts, “the Clan Wars might have been a while ago, but people are still jumpy about such talk.”

“If we had fought in the Clan Wars there wouldn't have been a war in the first place,” Eren said, his voice low and dark, piquing Levi's interest even further. This was certainly not a side of the usually so rambunctious alpha he had seen before.

“That's the sort of talk that _start_ wars,” Levi returned, “besides, I don't give a fuck about any turf war- maybe if someone threatened those I care about I'd fight, but otherwise I don't care.”

“So if Erwin was to attack the Ackermans you wouldn't take a side?” Eren questioned, a shrewd glint in his eyes. He was enjoying this conversation a little too much.

With a twinge of regret, Levi withdrew his hand so that he could better lean forward and rest his elbow on his knee while he sipped the coffee, looking up into Eren's face. They never had these types of conversations back at the Smith turf, probably because Eren would get in a heap of trouble for it.

“If Erwin tried to sack the Ackermans I would say good riddance and good luck,” Levi concluded, “he would never manage to take out the roots, even if he could burn the turf.”

Something in Levi's answer and the way he delivered it had Eren tilt his head as the cogwheels started moving.

“I suppose if they have more like you down there, you're right,” Eren conceded, “but the Smiths are strong, too.”

“Hm,” Levi hummed with a measure of doubt, the conversation was moving to dangerous grounds, “strong, untrained and not ready for war- a good deterrent, for sure, but I wouldn't try and claim any turf with them.”

“What about revenge?” Eren just wouldn't let the topic drop.

Levi leaned over and flicked him on the chin, which seemed to be enough to rouse him out of whatever mood he'd been caught in. Startling at the sudden, sharp pain, Eren blinked a few times before sitting back in his chair again.

“If anyone else but you had done that I would have punched them,” Eren said and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“I know,” Levi said, “you need more discipline.”

“Hey, kinky!” Eren grinned and winked at Levi, his train of thought completely sidetracked from turf wars that easily. Levi merely rolled his eyes.

They sat chatting for a while longer until the coffee was drained and the next group of students came tumbling in through the doors and ruined the quiet. Eren put his arm around Levi's shoulders again without prompting and navigated through the throng to get them outside. Levi turned just as the door shut to look at Petra one last time, the small omega performing her job with intense efficiency. Furrowing his brow as he was led away, Levi considered that he might not care about a turf war, but there was definitely _someone_ who deserved to be fought for. In a world where the only Clan Alphas willing to let omegas in were those that intended to misuse them, and leaders like Erwin closed their gates on the basis of omegas being too much work, then perhaps there was time for change.

They made it to the edge of campus with the tram stop in sight before Levi was proven right in his initial concern regarding his lack of dID.

Two official looking _no dyms_ wearing neon yellow vests and holding up their own IDs stepped up to them just as they were to leave the grounds and Eren groaned loudly.

“If we could just see your dIDs please,” a young woman with bright blue hair asked and smiled vaguely in a way Levi assumed was meant to be polite.

Her gaze travelled over them, taking in Eren's arm around Levi, but she pointedly shifted her scrutiny so as not to come over as staring, letting her attention land on the card Eren was already holding up with more than a little impatience. With a few taps on the pad in her hand, the blue haired _no dym_ nodded and smiled at Eren, indicating that he was cleared.

“And you?” she asked Levi who opened his mouth to try and spew some kind of bullshit, but was distracted by Eren pulling him in closer.

“He's with me,” Eren declared. There was a slight guttural timbre to his voice, but he covered it by pretending to clear his voice.

“That's fine,” the woman said and the wan smile turned strained, “but I still need to see his dID.”

“I forgot it at home,” Levi shrugged, hoping that they were indeed as lax on this as Eren had said.

“O- _kay_ ,” the woman sighed and began typing on the pad again with the man by her side now frowning, his beady eyes not leaving Eren, “I'll look up your registry and have you cleared, then.”

His registry? What the fuck was that? Levi subconsciously tried to take a step back, but was stopped by Eren's arm holding him in a vice like grip. The tang of brine in the air was all Levi needed to know that Eren was struggling to keep his composure.

To an alpha, a _no dym_ represented no threat by themselves, were in fact natural prey, but social differences meant that a dynamic's power stopped at the end of their perimeters to protect those who were weaker. This confrontation was an affront to Eren who could easily crush the both of them, and the _no dym_ man seemed to have been reminded of the same fact because his hand inched towards the stun gun in his belt. Which was, of course, the absolute worst thing he could be doing.

Belatedly, Levi remembered Hange's admonishments earlier for him to take care of Eren because the alpha usually got himself into a lot of shit, and things like _this_ was probably what they were referring to.

Standing so close to the alpha, nearly crowded right into his side, Levi could feel the muscles bunch as Eren prepared to move. In a flash, Levi whipped out his own arm, bracing it against Eren's chest in a not so subtle display of “ _don't fucking move._ ” The woman, who had seemed mostly unaware of the proceedings as she tapped away on her pad, looked up and her eyes went round and her mouth opened in surprise.

“Bayan, why don't you step back and let me handle this,” the _no dym_ man urged the woman.

“What's up with the stun gun, anyway?” Levi asked, moving in front of Eren much in the same manner the man advanced in front of Bayan, though for two very different reasons.

“Ugh, there's been some unrest between a few clans up on the north side of the city, so they want us to be extra careful,” Bayan explained and slapped the back of her hand against the man's arm. She was talking with belly full of guts, but Levi didn't miss the way she was warily eyeing Eren and with good reason.

Levi's first impression of Eren, even from when he was just an alpha chained to a wall, had been that he was exceedingly protective. An impression that had become cemented in experienced fact. Levi might not have been able to see the alpha's expression from where he stood in front of him, but he had a fair idea from the overwhelming scent that it wasn't pretty. And though Levi was more than used to angry alpha pheromones, he could feel his own body react to it, and it was just a matter of time before instincts took over.

His mind working rapidly, Levi mapped out all his options and eventual fallouts. They could attack the _no dyms_ and make a run for it, but they probably wouldn't get far if the police got involved. And it would invite a heap of trouble upon the Smith clan eventually. Or he could comply with their request and give them his name, hoping that he was indeed in the registry somewhere. With luck, then Kenny hadn't reported him as missing.

But before Levi could act on any of his scenarios, Bayan, with her arms stretched from her body in a typical submissive gesture to placate Eren, reached a decision on her own.

“Just, give it a rest, Thomas,” she told her partner, “the alpha is from the Smith clan, you know, and I just can't be bothered with the extra paperwork.”

“He's being aggressive,” Thomas argued. Brave, but dumb, he was not backing down and Levi could only hold Eren back for so long.

“Yeah, duh he's being aggressive,” Bayan groaned, “he's with his omega and you're being threatening.”

_'His_ omega'. Levi felt like sneering at their casual treatment of him as an object that could be owned. But then again, for all intents and purposes, in this scenario he _was_ Eren's omega. As if Eren had yet earned that right, Levi scoffed, but kept his mouth shut. Thomas looked torn between escalating the confrontation further and listening to their parter, but in the end he must have decided that this was not the day to fight a pissed off alpha. If indeed any day was, stun gun or no.

“Fine, whatever,” he grumbled, like he wasn't a hairsbreadth away from getting gutted out on the pavement, “but if I see you without your dID tag again I'll have to bring you in, understood?”

The last part was aimed at Levi and he pointed accusingly at the omega. Eren instantly growled a warning deep in his chest, a low rumble that Levi could feel the vibrations of because of their close proximity. Thomas snapped his hand back as if burned and Bayan heaved another sigh and rolled her eyes.

“Have you forgotten everything we learned in class, Thomas?” Bayan asked derisively and ' _tsk_ 'ed before turning to Eren, “take your omega back to your clan, alpha, or I'll have to contact them in regards to bunking your dID classification down, okay?”

Levi could feel Eren nod before he was brusquely hustled away from the two _no dyms_ like their mere presence around the omega was insulting to Eren. Fucking piece of shit alphas and their strung up nature, all apologetic about it one minute then aggressively snarling the next. Taking Eren's hand that was clutching his shoulder with the tips of claws digging into his skin, Levi wrenched it off himself and crushed it hard in his own. The tentative tendrils between them snapped with the tension they were both feeling, but now that it was established Levi waited for Eren to calm down.

It took longer than expected for Eren's eyes to turn back into turquoise. Probably because they weren't on the Smith turf surrounded by familiar scents. They stood in the shade of a blossoming cherry tree, hands clasped, and eventually a faint blush crept over Eren's face.

“Finally realising how dumb you were being?” Levi drawled, relishing in Eren's scent more than he'd ever like to admit.

“Yeah,” Eren agreed grudgingly and smiled bashfully at Levi who just couldn't find it in himself to be pissed anymore.

By the time they entered the Smith village again it was much later in the afternoon and people had begun to return home. They waved at Eren then let their gazes fall on Levi and stilled with various expressions of surprise on their faces. He supposed this was the first any of them had seen of the supposed new clan member. But thankfully Eren's heavy hand on his shoulder and less than approachable scowl kept them away.

They passed Eren's house and continued up towards Hange's together and when Levi pointed out that it was just a waste of time for Eren, he snorted, “you're not going to let me follow you to the door?”

“I'm fully capable of walking on my own, I doubt anything will happen between here and there,” Levi interjected.

“And rob me from the possibility of giving you a kiss?” Eren teased, making Levi huff in an effort to beat the unbidden smile off of his face.

“Thought we were just getting a coffee,” Levi groused, though he could feel his hands getting slightly sweaty and his stomach fluttered disconcertingly again.

Eren merely hummed and followed Levi all the way to the entrance door of Hange's large house. They were pretty well sheltered on the patio from any prying eyes, though Levi wouldn't put it past Mike to be skulking about somewhere. Eren was of the much same opinion as he looked about himself before lifting his chin and taking a deep inhale.

After a moment he relaxed and smirked down at Levi, “coast is clear.”

“I feel like I'm seventeen all over again,” Levi commented without much humour.

“You sneaked out for dates a lot when you were seventeen?” Eren wondered. He was leaning his shoulder against the door frame and looking at Levi with rapt attention, a soft smile curling his lips.

Levi wasn't about to tell Eren that this was the first time anyone had taken him anywhere and called it a date. Instead he shrugged and embellished the truth a little, “I guess if you call fooling around in the outer field garage sneaking out, then sure.”

“Well, I hope as far as getting a coffee together, today wasn't so bad?” Eren queried with a hopeful tilt of his head.

There had certainly been a lot of _new_ things, Levi considered, standing close enough to Eren that he could feel the heat of his body and smell the scent that was now permeated by natural sweat and sunscreen. With the same, measured movements as earlier, Eren reached out across the small distance between them and brushed some of Levi's wayward hair out of his face. They had touched each other in small ways plenty of times before, but this time it felt like it held a different promise. The idea of something _more_ had been planted and now Levi couldn't help but stare at Eren's lips. And as it tended to be around Eren, Levi acted before he could second guess himself.

Removing the borrowed sunglasses, Levi pushed them into Eren's hand. He took them with a small frown, probably thinking this Levi's brisk goodbye, but before he had the opportunity to open his mouth to say anything, Levi placed his own hand on Eren's cheek before standing on tiptoes and bringing their lips together.

Eren inhaled sharply and let the hot air out through his nose in a mixture of a laugh and a hum. It sounded almost reverent, echoing through Levi's chest until his heart squeezed painfully.

The kiss was short and chaste and Levi stepped back almost as quickly as he had initiated it. Eren's eyes were golden and hazed, his long lashes fluttering a few times as he collected himself again. Levi's lips burned and it took all of his willpower not to touch them, or lick them, anything to prolong the sensation.

“No, it wasn't so bad,” Levi divulged, his voice uncharacteristically raw. If the blank look on Eren's face was anything to go by, he had already forgotten the question Levi was attempting to answer, but the confusion was quickly replaced with a beautific smile.

And gods help him, Levi couldn't help but return it and the muscles in his face ached with the unfamilliarity of it. And he didn't know if that was cause for laughter or tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how are we doing on the slowburn so far, guys? Fucking in chapter one and finally kissing in chapter ten- that's what we call progress 😘
> 
> As always, thanks to all of the wonderful you for reading, even though this chapter was a tad late again! 💖


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“How about a glass of whiskey?” Erwin suggested, pouring the golden liquid over ice. “You look like a whiskey type of guy.”_
> 
> _Levi wasn't, strictly speaking, a whiskey type of guy, but he accepted the drink never the less._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think we can safely say that Fridays are going to be the new update day??? Hope it finds you all well and bear with, please!
> 
> Music! [Beautiful Hell - Adna](https://open.spotify.com/track/5HYAco3f6nu5Uz93QWlPTm?si=audruFDeT1WcxCS65aEq8w)

Hange's house was quiet as usual when Levi finally closed the entrance door behind him. A cursory search through the areas where he assumed Hange tended to spend their time revealed that they most likely were out somewhere. The suspicion was cemented when Levi found a note tacked to the fridge with a magnet that read “dill with it” and a picture of a cartoonish dill pickle. A muscle at the corner of Levi's eye spasmed before he focused on the note itself.

Squinting his eyes, Levi tilted his head from one side to the other trying to decipher the handwriting. Reading was such a hassle and it better be fucking important. Eventually Levi managed to sound out the short note and it simply read: “ _To Levi: I'm out teaching classes until four, then there is dinner with Erwin at seven! You're invited short stack and don't even think about skipping. xoxo Hange_ ”

That just had to be about the worst possible timing. Levi's lips were still tingling from the kiss earlier.

If there was one thing Levi wasn't all that keen on, it was being a guest at a Clan Alpha's dinner smelling like another alpha. It wasn't really time for his daily bath yet, but Hange wasn't stingy on the hot water so Levi took that as his chance to have _two_ baths. The thought was a small comfort as he undressed slowly, waiting for the water to fill in the tub.

Cleaning alpha scents off him was something Levi was used to and really, it was by now an ingrained habit. Yet as he sat scrubbing with the pink sponge Hange had bought for him, a bitter taste settled in his mouth and he just couldn't swallow it down. This wasn't anything like the usual apathy that left his mind blessedly muted. It felt like something was lacking. Hollowed out. Gritting his teeth, Levi only scrubbed harder.

Hange arrived home from work just before six with a lot of commotion. When Levi sauntered down the stairs he discovered them carrying several bags inside. Peering inside one of the brown paper bags with an unfamiliar logo, Levi found clothes. Lots of them. All of the bags turned out to be containing either clothes, shoes or whatever else Hange had deemed essential for him. There was a stuffed teddy bear in one.

“I wasn't entirely sure on your size,” Hange panted as they hauled in the last of it, “but since Armin's clothes seemed to fit you fairly well I just went with that- sorry for having poked in your stuff, by the way, I tried to fold them like you do, but... _well_.”

Levi heaved a sigh. If anyone was to pick out clothes for him, Hange had to be the least capable. He thought about the dill pickle fridge magnet and shuddered. But, as it turned out, Hange had somehow managed to rein themselves in, though there were a few horrors in there that Levi exclaimed over in disgust. A hot pink t-shirt in velour being one of them. There were also a pair of burgundy trousers in corduroy.

“I figured we could match!” Hange exclaimed when Levi held the offending fabric up, “I have a pair just like them.”

Of course they did.

There were a pair of sweatpants that initially looked alright, but on closer inspection revealed to have the text “ _kapow!_ ” stitched on the backside in bright yellow.

“You have to wear those,” Hange demanded and pressed it on him again when Levi had thrown the sweats away from himself, “that is my only demand for you to stay in my house.”

“Well, I was originally planning on living on the streets anyway and right now I think that's a better option,” Levi declared, taking the sweatpants just so that he could throw them away again.

“Whatever,” Hange smiled, seemingly only amused while they held up a purple button down and a pair of black chinos for him. “Why don't you try these on? We have to get ready for Erwin's dinner and all, so let's hope this meeting goes significantly better than the last one, eh?”

Levi took the offered pieces of clothing and looked them over for any hidden text.

“Tell _him_ that,” Levi grumbled, “I was minding my own business when he decided to go all alpha on me.”

“Yeah, he was acting pretty weird,” Hange agreed and handed Levi a full bag of packaged underwear, “though this is his clan and his turf, so what he says is law, even for you.”

“Fuck alphas and fuck their rules,” Levi muttered and took the bag as well, “I won't start anything, but if he tries that shit again I'll rip his throat out.”

“No one doubts that,” Hange sighed and looked both tired and dejected.

Done quarrelling, Levi took the clothes and went upstairs to put them on. The trousers and shirt fit quite well, neither too tight nor too loose, though as per usual the sleeves and legs were too long. Levi rolled them up, pushing the sleeves of the shirt to his elbows. His hair was hanging limply around his face again after the bath, but he found that he didn't care. He wasn't about to impress anyone, his main objective was staying alive until the end of the evening.

Levi's hackles only raised further when Hange revealed that Mike and his mate Nanaba were also going to be there as they strolled up to the mansion.

“You really can't get one without the other,” Hange said when they noted the sour look on Levi's face, “Erwin is never without Mike and Mike is never without Nana.”

“How cute,” Levi griped, shoving his hands down into his pockets.

Right now he should be in a hot, steaming bath and Eren would probably be making himself comfortable with a magazine or a game. The undesired breach of routine was making him crabby. Well, crabbi _er_.

Hange pressed the bell next to the enormous entrance door and they stood waiting on the well lit plateau.

"So, what's this going to be then?” Levi demanded and looked Hange in the eye to stall them from trying to wiggle out of answering honestly. “Is this some sort of inner circle meeting to see if I am worth having around?”

Predictably, Hange huffed a breath of air and shrugged their shoulder in an effort to stall.

“Yeah, pretty much,” they eventually confirmed, “this is a big decision, all things considered, and even though both Erwin and I have voiced interest in keeping you here- well, if Mike or Nana opposes too greatly Erwin will most likely re-evaluate the entire plan.”

Levi ' _tsk_ 'ed in annoyance. So much fanfare, it was getting pretty tiresome.

“Would there be this much bullshit if I wasn't an omega?” Levi questioned, though he already felt sure he knew the answer.

“Nah,” Hange laughed. At least their brutal honesty was refreshing. “Though you nearly ripping Erwin's eyes out would be frowned upon regardless.”

Levi rolled his own eyes just as the door opened and Erwin stood framed in the opening. The light behind him lit the golden hair like a halo and threw the handsome features of Erwin's face into sharp relief.

“Welcome,” he smiled at the both of them, his gaze lingering on Levi long enough to become uncomfortable.

Levi stood frozen on the doorstep even as Hange bustled in unconcerned. This wasn't just Erwin's turf, but his _home_ , and his presence felt like a physical force. Only the slight widening of Erwin's piercing, blue eyes made Levi aware that his scales were hardening across his throat. It was with even further annoyance that he watched the black shimmering texture travel down his bared forearms and fingers, the nails sharpening into the beginning of claws. His body was reacting on instinct to the very obvious threat in front of him and Levi doubted he would be able to calm down sufficiently for the scales to disappear any time soon.

Having intended to take a step forward, Levi instead found himself backing away from the doorway and Erwin.

“Levi,” Hange chided, “come on then.”

“Don't worry Hange,” Erwin's calm voice interjected, “we didn't part on the best of terms last time, so it is only natural that Levi feels on edge. I'll go and get the wine from the cellar and you two can figure this out.”

Making good on his word, Erwin stepped away from the doorway and disappeared into the mansion again, leaving Levi alone on the threshold.

Taking a small comfort in his scales, Levi resolutely walked through the doorway. It felt like he got swallowed whole. Erwin was everywhere, in everything, his presence like an electrical charge making Levi's gums tingle and the small hairs not covered by scales standing on end. How could Hange be so casual about it? They were standing there, arms crossed loosely over their midsection and tapping their foot, ostensibly impatient by Levi's hesitance.

“Shove off, four eyes,” Levi gritted and tried to relax his shoulders.

“Speaking of which- yours are glowing,” Hange told him, assuming correctly that Levi was not interested in showing any more signs of being unsettled than absolutely necessary.

“Where's the bathroom?” Levi asked with a barely contained growl. Hange tossed their head and indicated for Levi to follow them.

They descended a set of stairs and to their immediate right was a door leading into a bathroom that was easily larger than any room Levi had ever lived in. It was decorated in white marble with gold accents and seemed so over the top it was almost ridiculous. Never the less, Levi walked over to the giant mirror that stretched the length of the room and peered at himself.

Pupils were dilated and his usually unremarkable blue eyes shone with pent up frustration. Silvery, Eren had called them, and Levi almost snorted. He'd always thought of them as steel grey, like a sharpened dagger, but he supposed that was also just a fancy. In the end it didn't fucking matter.

Hange stood leaning up against one of the three basins with gold leaf details and watched him curiously. All of this would probably feature somewhere in their book, Levi thought, and splashed some cold water on his face.

“You're not this agitated around anyone else,” Hange postulated, “is it because Erwin is a Clan Alpha?”

Throwing Hange a glare didn't dissuade their scrutiny of him and Levi had learned early on that sometimes it was just easier to answer.

“Partly,” Levi admitted. Water was dripping down his face and neck and he managed to catch the droplets with a towel before they reached the collar of his shirt. “Erwin is strong, though I could probably take him on in a physical fight... maybe.”

Hesitating, Levi eventually continued, “it is his commands that are impossible for me to-” he cleared his throat and took another breath, “ -he could easily convince my mind not to fight him, he could convince me of _anything_ he fancies, really.”

Hange let out a noise that was somewhere between an “ _ah_ ” of discovery and “ _ungh_ ” of pained realisation. The sudden, prolonged silence made the droplets of water from the faucet hitting the basin sound loud in the vast room. Levi leaned his weight on the counter, bowing his head to take a few deep breaths to calm his instincts down.

“Eren did that when you were fighting,” Hange pointed out, “he made you go completely limp in his arms... yet you don't fear him?”

Carefully, Levi licked his lips as he tried to think. Trusting Hange felt easy, their curiosity almost appearing innocent, and so he had to remind himself who their loyalty actually belonged to.

“I know Eren,” Levi offered after a while, “I don't know Erwin.”

Though a command left Levi angry and often helpless, there was no doubt in his mind that even if he was rendered unable to fight, Eren would tear anyone's face off before they had the opportunity to touch him. He knew that protecting him was as instinctual in Eren as it was for Levi to obey.

“Are you implying that since you and Eren have been intimate then there is a deeper connection between the two of you?” Hange asked, emboldened by Levi's apparent willingness to answer their curiosity.

The question blind sided him and before he could stop himself his eyes shot up to meet Hange's in the mirror. Their warm, brown eyes and scent of masala chai were comforting to him on a very fundamental level, but there was a shrewd cast to their face that still had Levi on edge. Too close to the truth.

“I am not standing in Erwin's bathroom and discussing that with you,” Levi snapped, “besides, you people really have to stop with the notion of an alpha/omega connection. It's just some made up crap to make people feel better about the shit they do.”

A cold and familiar dread had wormed its way around Levi's spine. If they knew, if they even suspected, they would take it all away. And it was too new and too fragile of a thing to withstand such a violent action. Whatever it was between Eren and him, Levi held it close and guarded it jealously.

“It has been well founded in research,” Hange corrected him with an air of disparage, “that alphas and omegas can create a connection of co-dependence, a bond if you will, though I always imagined it to be a bit more _romantic_ than whatever happened between you and Eren.”

Levi wanted to laugh, he really did. It was uncanny how much Hange knew without knowing _shit_.

“Gods damned instincts are rarely as romantic as the books would like them to be,” Levi muttered, “you're smart enough to know that.”

Hange shrugged helplessly, the bitter cast to their mouth and eyes vulnerable, “I am just a beta, so what do I know of instincts and so called destined bonds and what not?”

The yearning in Hange's voice had Levi's building anger and frustration fizzle to a stop.

“My life as an omega has taught me exactly shit all about love or any fucking destined _bond_ or what the fuck ever,” Levi told Hange sternly, “our dynamics have nothing to do with it, so don't go looking for something that isn't real.”

Destiny and love had never figured in the yearning that clawed at his very marrow. Like an ugly creature inside him, sapping him of his sense of self and pulling him down into murky waters.

Opening their mouth, Hange was about to reply when they were interrupted by an inquiring voice from outside the bathroom, “are you two alright in there?”

The voice was unfamiliar to Levi, but Hange turned towards it and called back, “we're fine Nana, heading up in a minute.”

“Okay,” came the muffled reply.

“Alright short stack, we have one shot at getting this right,” Hange said and nodded briskly, their lips pinched in concentration.

“We?” Levi echoed the word, trying to read something in Hange's face as they plucked at his shirt collar and straightened some of his hair.

“Yeah,” Hange grinned cheekily at him and flicked him on the shoulder, “I don't want to lose my Pulitzer Prize now, do I? So be on your best behaviour.”

“Fuck you, four eyes,” Levi growled, but the corners of his mouth turned upwards in an effort at a smile regardless, though it just ended in a twitching grimace.

Together they exited the bathroom and walked slowly up the stairs. Levi's unease hadn't lessened any, but he was more composed now that he knew what he was facing. The electrical tendrils that thrummed through Erwin Smith's domain caressed his bare skin and scales, telling him to submit, to obey, and Levi would have done so if not for the discarnate creature clawing at his spine and skull. It was like it whispered obscenely, telling him to fight and keep fighting, to set the world on fire if he had to. Shaking his head minutely, Levi clenched and unclenched his clawed hands in an effort to shake off the apparition of anxiety.

They entered a spacious dining area, floor covered by lush and expensive looking carpets and a heavy dining table set for the five of them. It was all rich and opulent, but the grandest sight was the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, droplets of crystal flickering rainbow coloured light across the dark floor and walls.

Levi quickly located the two alphas, Erwin and Mike, standing by the bar sipping each their drink and staring at him warily. The third occupant was a slim and plain looking woman sitting alone by the massive table. The glint in her sharp, blue eyes, however, revealed the keen intelligence she harboured as her beta trait. She looked him up and down, calculating, though the slight raise of her eyebrows revealed a smidgen of surprise at his appearance.

Hange steered Levi over to her with a resolute hand on his shoulder which he would have shaken off if he hadn't been so focused on Erwin's magnificent presence. The beta got half up from her seat and held out a hand for Levi to shake. He took it grudgingly, letting her stare her fill of his scaled and clawed hand before they broke the physical contact.

“Nanaba,” the beta introduced herself, voice decided and confident, “but everybody just calls me Nana.”

“Levi,” Levi returned, “but everybody just calls me asshole.”

A breath of stunned silence passed before Nana burst into a pleasant laugh, her eyes glittering with mirth. The citrusy scent of her mate clung heavily to her and overpowered whatever natural scent she must have had, though there was the faint traces of something discordant there which made Levi suspect Nana had originally come from a different clan.

“Do you want something to drink, Levi?” Erwin politely asked from across the room.

Levi's ears twitched and his attention to Nana was immediately distracted as he turned towards the alpha's voice, cursing himself all the while.

Eyes strained on Erwin's face, Levi refused to look away from that commanding gaze even as sweat perspired between his shoulder blades and his lips pulled back to showcase his elongated fangs. It was unmistakably a threat display and the snap of charged air had everyone in the room tense. Both Nana and Hange bent their necks and even Mike dropped his gaze to the floor. Levi's knees were trembling with the desire to fold in on themselves, to allow him to prostrate himself in submission.

Instead, Levi prowled across the room towards the bar and the two alphas. Only by focusing on the arctic blue eyes did he not fall to the floor and, despite everything, he gave a quiet thanks to Kenny for having taught him this strength.

“ _An Ackerman does not bend, not to anyone, not even if you're an omega.”_

And though Levi lived his life by that very creed he did have his own power, something which alphas seemed inclined to forget.

A movement in his peripheral vision informed Levi that Mike was about to step in, but the alpha was stopped by a gesture from Erwin. Within easy reach of the Clan Alpha, Levi planted his feet, stretched his arms out to the side with his palms up, leaving himself vulnerable. Bending his neck he finally let his gaze drop. The release was as delicious as it was nauseating and Levi let his pent up breath out in a soft whisper between parted lips.

Whereas Eren was ridiculously easy to read, Erwin was the complete opposite. The pressing atmosphere in the room eased, but it was Mike's sweetening scent that informed Levi that the alphas were satisfied with his display. The shiver of pleasure that gave him was unnerving even if it was expected.

“As for a drink, something strong if you please,” Levi murmured, stepping out of his submissive pose.

The look that flashed across Erwin's face was one of undisguised want, not only that of sexual desire, but the desire to claim and to own. Eren had that look too, from time to time, though always suffused with curiosity and awe.

Levi's expertise had always been fighting, but he knew exactly how to ensnare a potentially aggressive alpha without force. If he had to. All it demanded was a soft scent, a neck bent just so, eyes to the floor and alphas tended to become putty in any omega's hands. Erwin and Mike didn't seem to be any different. Levi knew all of these tricks, he just had no fucking need or interest in using them. Usually.

Deception wasn't something Levi had much patience with, being honest to a fault according to Furlan.

“How about a glass of whiskey?” Erwin suggested, pouring the golden liquid over ice. “You look like a whiskey type of guy.”

Levi wasn't, strictly speaking, a whiskey type of guy, but he accepted the drink never the less. One sip revealed that this was something entirely different than the corn based crap Kenny usually guzzled. It was strong and smokey and went down Levi's throat smoothly. He licked his lip delicately, the remaining droplets stinging his tongue. Warmth spread from his chest, through his stomach and into his muscles and made Levi feel more at ease and relaxed. The electrical charge that had been prickling across his skin since he entered the mansion eased up and was no longer pushing at his every nerve.

With a grunt, Mike moved away and skulked over to the long dining table where Nanaba and Hange still sat. Both of the betas were following the situation with acute awareness, soaking in impressions with shrewd and calculating eyes. Levi could almost see the cogwheels in their brilliant minds turning at rapid speed as they added together and reached conclusions long before either of the alphas, or even Levi himself, did. If Nanaba's narrowing gaze and Hange's widening grin was anything to go by, then there was nothing good coming out of it. At least not for Levi.

Cradling the expensive looking crystal glass in his still clawed hand, Levi turned his back to the Clan Alpha and slunk over to Hange, sidling into the chair next to them. The distance between the alpha and omega seemed to break the strained tension in the room and Nanaba and Hange quickly lapsed into easy conversation.

They conversed with Erwin until dinner was served while Mike and Levi remained mostly quiet listeners. Their conversation centred mostly on the sudden outburst of border skirmishes at the north side of Trost. Hange wondered whether it was a natural reaction to their borders being in too close proximity, while Nana was grimly suggesting that Reiss used the smaller clans as fighting practice for his alphas.

As Levi sat nibbling on his creamed potatoes, he let his eyes wander around the grand dining hall and the people at the table by him. Despite the opulence he couldn't shake the feeling of it all being a front. Much like the quaint village itself sat wrong with him. They were all playing house, pretending to be _no dyms_ living lives that didn't revolve around hierarchy, strength and fighting. As if over half their numbers hadn't been slaughtered in a brutal war a bit over a decade ago and that a similar threat could be looming just around the corner.

Levi hadn't seen any training going on, he didn't know if they had any type of armoury or even a plan of withstanding a siege. Granted, they were all protected under the Concord and the threat of retaliation from the _no dym_ government mostly kept the various clans from clashing, but that wasn't safety, now was it. That was hoping everyone would just play along, play _nice_. If Levi knew one thing then it was that nobody played _nice_. It wasn't in their gods damned nature to do so. And since Erwin wasn't a fucking nitwit, he knew that as well as Levi.

And yet. And yet a knife at his throat would have felt less threatening. The pure arrogance in living like this had to be the Smith clan's first line of defence. Like a fragrant flower seemingly innocently baiting greedy insects, only to snap shut and suck the literal life out of them. Erwin was playing a bigger game, one that involved _no dyms_ and their rotten politics, way beyond the petty squabbling of alphas posturing for strength. For while _no dym_ police continuously patrolled the borders of the Ackerman turf, Levi had that very day been exempted from showing his dID simply for being in the presence of a Smith alpha.

Dinner proceeded uneventfully as Levi sat eyeing everything, offering up a quiet thanks that the others were the type of friends that could easily converse amongst themselves and forget the fifth wheel. The only one who occasionally looked over at Levi and threw him a few questions now and then was Erwin. Levi could feel his eyes on him even as he sat occupied with the food on his plate or scrutinized one of the many paintings hanging on the walls. Inevitably that crackling sensation would sizzle up his spine and snap at the nape of his neck, forcing Levi to turn back around and stare right into that pair of icy eyes.

It was always followed up by a question or a comment:

“What do you usually do in your spare time?”

“Have you pursued any higher education?”

“You really do know how to fight, I was pleasantly surprised by your ferocity- have you been practising long?”

“Your scales are quite diverting, I must admit.”

“If you hold that knife any tighter you're going to bend it.”

With a huff, Levi released his grip on the silverware in question and it clattered down upon the tablecloth again. He wasn't sure if Erwin's questions came from having an actual interest in him and what he got up to in his spare time, or if he just wanted to wrestle inside information out of him.

Whatever it was, Levi wasn't about to answer them any time soon:

“Nothing.”

“No.”

“Long enough to kick your ass.”

“...”

But unfortunately for Levi, his taciturn nature seemed to only spur Erwin on. The alpha's pale lips pulled back into a wide, satisfied smile that coyly revealed a finely shaped fang. Levi suspected that the reminder was fully intentional. It could be a threat- or a promise.

Levi resisted the urge to clap his hand over his neck and instead returned his attention fully back to his meal. What the fuck was he supposed to do with an alpha he couldn't knock around or shiv in the back?

The after dinner coffee and desserts were enjoyed in a different sitting area and Levi was relieved to see the door leading out to a balcony standing ajar. Taking his glass of whiskey that had been so _kindly_ refilled by Erwin himself, Levi disregarded the group and headed outside. Hange's quiet and inquiring “Levi?” went ignored.

The view was nothing short of magnificent. Below him sprawled not only the village and its lush acres, but the entirety of Trost as far as the horizon reached. Its lights shone into the night sky and Levi's mouth fell open at the sight. He had never imagined the city to be so vast. As far as the horizon reached there were buildings and colourful lights and Erwin Smith's mansion sat above and separate from it all, watchful like a hawk.

A chill had entered the early summer winds that pulled at Levi's thin shirt. It was a welcome relief to the stifling atmosphere inside and Levi took his first, deep breath since he had arrived. Leaning on the stone banister, he took a slow sip of the whiskey to keep the worst of the cold out of his muscles and _stared_.

It didn't take long before his solitude was interrupted.

He had expected someone to join him sooner or later, either Hange or Erwin, and being honest with himself he didn't know whom he preferred. When the thrumming sensation snapped along his bones again and Levi had to fight the urge to turn around to look at the alpha, he still didn't know. The sensation was still unsettling and alien, but it had stopped tickling at his fight or flight instincts.

Perhaps the tingling could be pleasant, in a way, given enough time.

Erwin stood silently by the door for some time either regarding Levi or the view, but the sudden snap of a lock nearly broke Levi's resolve not to turn around.

“You seem unhappy to be here,” Erwin commented as he rested his hip against the banister next to Levi, “or is it just me you're unhappy with?”

Levi kept his attention on how the light from the window glinted in the amber liquid in his glass.

“I've been in one clan half my life,” Levi eventually replied quietly, “things are very different here and I am not sure I like it.”

“The Ackerman clan suited you better I take it?” Erwin wondered, “do you want to go back?”

Erwin's hand was placed only inches away from Levi's elbow on the banister. Levi couldn't help peering at the vivid, pink scars that were still marring it after his teeth had nearly bitten through. Those had been some seriously grievous wounds, but looked nearly fully healed now. Erwin had to be an exceptional alpha in his physical capacity.

Levi wondered what kind of vengeful being Erwin would be if he truly took to his alpha form.

After several silent moments of thought, Levi decided to answer Erwin's question honestly, “no, I do not.”

“But you're not sure you want to stay here?” Erwin sounded so attentive, so reasonable. Like he actually gave a shit about what Levi wanted in the greater scheme of things. At the end of the day Levi wouldn't have a choice if Erwin decided to take rather than to ask.

“I just don't get it,” Levi huffed, still ignoring Erwin beside him and glared down on the buildings below them.

“What is it that you don't get?”

“This!” Levi exclaimed and gesticulated at the very village he was staring at. “I don't get what is going on here, I don't understand the nice little houses and the polite alphas and betas living here, playing at a _no dym_ life.”

Clamping his mouth shut, Levi waited for Erwin to pick up the conversation and offer any type of insight. But when nothing was forthcoming it was becoming increasingly hard not to look up at the other man. When Erwin kept his silence, Levi folded and continued, “there are no omegas here, I don't understand my role- I don't know what I'd be doing here.”

“You'd be my mate.” He said it like it was obvious. An undeniable fact.

Levi's resolve didn't so much as crumble as it vanished completely and his attention snapped up to Erwin's face. He looked perfectly composed, only the smallest tilt of his head and a brightness in his now gold shimmering eyes betraying something. Curiosity, maybe. Or desire.

Levi took another gulp of his whiskey and tried hard not to choke on it.

“I can smell the Ackerman on you,” Erwin hummed, leaning down to take a demonstrating whiff of Levi's neck and hair. Levi shivered at the close proximity. “You're not a conscripted omega, but a born and bred Ackerman and you fight like a frenzied demon- did you honestly think you could come into my domain and I wouldn't take an interest in you?”

Well, _fuck._ His heritage wasn't such a well kept secret after all. Levi wanted to take a step back, but stood frozen and ensnared.

An elegant, golden claw trapped Levi's chin and tipped his head back, forcing him to look up at the alpha. The large hand reminded him that if Erwin really wanted to, he could snap Levi's neck without any real physical effort. Levi's throat clenched with the need to swallow the pooling saliva in his mouth, but he managed to remain perfectly still under the scrutiny of Erwin, not wanting to reveal anything.

In the darkness of dusk, the gold in Erwin's eyes didn't expand, but moved like a thread through the pale blue, disappearing and emerging erratically. Levi didn't have the vocabulary to put a word on what he was feeling. Mesmerized? Hypnotized? Whatever it was, Levi could not look away and yet Erwin had not even uttered a command.

The familiar heat of anger suddenly coiled in Levi's guts. Now _that_ , that he knew.

“Fuck off,” he growled, his frustration settling further when Erwin merely smiled indulgently down at him.

But the alpha must have read something in his face and come to the conclusion that he had pushed as far as he could for one evening. Erwin removed his hand as well as his immediate presence next to Levi and crossed his arms over his chest. The rebuttal left Levi feeling inexplicably cold and wanting and he swore silently at himself when a gasp left him at the sudden feeling of desolation.

“Fucking asshat,” Levi hissed and stepped backwards to increase their distance further. “Pushing people around is a thing for you, is it?”

“Forgive me,” Erwin apologized, sounding to all the world like he meant it, “I find it difficult to stop myself from engaging you in such a way.”

“You can't just spew shit like that,” Levi grumbled. Remembering his drink, Levi took another gulp and noted with relief that his hand was not visibly shaking, though the claws scratched at the fine crystal.

Watching Levi from the corner of his eye, Erwin indulged in his own drink that he had taken with him out on the balcony. Bourbon, if Levi was any judge. Erwin's claws were still extended, tapering into fine, manicured points so like this Clan Alpha, but so unlike any other Levi had seen. It made Levi suspect that he wasn't the only one being nervous. It was an interesting thought.

“Again, I apologize,” Erwin assured him, “but my proposition is honest.”

Levi was glad he had already swallowed his mouthful of golden liquor or else he would have choked on it. Perhaps it was the very same alcohol coursing through his bloodstream that had him feeling faintly removed from himself. All Levi could do was stare up at the alpha dumbly. The quiet gaze lingered on until something shifted in Erwin's face and the alpha was the one to look away, angling his head, he stared out onto the sprawling city in front of them. Ponderously, Erwin raised his glass up to his lips and took a long swallow, his adam's apple bobbing slowly behind the collar. He must have loosened the two top buttons of his shirt at one point during the evening, leaving the muscles in his strong neck clearly visible.

Free of Erwin's overpowering attention, Levi had the presence of mind to appreciate the sight in front of him. Despite the chilly air, Levi could feel a thin layer of perspiration coating his skin. The heat that had been coiling in his stomach was spreading with the alcohol through his veins. Faintly breathless, Levi leaned up against the banister again and indulged in the sensation of cool stone under the palm of his hand and seeping through the fabric of his thin trousers.

“Mated, huh?” he muttered into the silence between them, “I've never really considered that an option.”

It was the honest truth. Perhaps he'd thought it possible at one point, but he had quickly learned different. Belonging to Kenny Ackerman meant that Levi could kiss any such ideas goodbye. And he had done so quite literally a couple of times, until the longing became too great and any hopes shrivelled up and died. Good riddance.

“Never?” Erwin breathed, not hiding his surprise.

“Why would I have?” Levi retaliated, tension creeping back into his stance.

The topic was absurd in and of itself and discussing it with the Clan Alpha of the Smith clan of all people was throwing Levi for a loop. He dealt with it in the way he always dealt with unpleasant things: he became even more unpleasant himself.

“Well, I would have assumed you had gotten more than one favourable proposition,” Erwin elaborated, his gaze travelling up and down Levi's body in the way that made the omega feel like he was being appraised.

Barring his teeth, the gesture told the alpha in no uncertain terms to back off, and to Levi's surprise, Erwin actually did. Stepping away a fair distance, Erwin held his available hand up in a placating manner.

“Mating didn't really fit my job description,” Levi revealed, and because he was feeling especially on edge his mouth decided to run away from him, “fighting and fucking is what I am good at.”

Erwin's eyes widened before narrowing again, like he had been momentarily discomposed and tried to hide it. Levi met it with a challenging frown of his own.

“You were a recruiter?” Erwin asked, and Levi might be reading too much into it, but his voice sounded strained. Of all the things to take the Clan Alpha by surprise, Levi had really not thought this was it. Had Hange not informed him?

“What of it?” Levi muttered warily.

Was the tight constriction in his gut shame? Shame that he wasn't the precious omega Erwin had thought him to be, someone mateable? For fuck's sake, Levi was just a continuous string of childish wishes today, huh? Mind careening into ever bleaker waters, Levi couldn't hide the physical start when Erwin murmured the very name that had been coursing through his mind.

“So that is how you met Eren?” Erwin queried, voice soft. Dangerously so.

“Eren,” Levi echoed the name as if the syllables could somehow manifest him.

“Hange told me he went into a rage induced rut when he was kidnapped,” Erwin pressed on, his voice darkening as if the topic was one that angered him, “and though Eren has always been an emotional boy, you don't really strike me as someone who nurture easy affections.”

It was not a question, precisely, but there was enough of a lilt at the end that Levi understood that he was supposed to either affirm or deny it. That there was something Erwin wanted Levi to admit or to explain. But what would happen if he did? Would Erwin back off if Levi alluded to anything going on with Eren, or would he try to squash it? He had made his intent with Levi explicitly clear, after all, and another alpha didn't really add into that equation.

Fuck, Levi wasn't equipped for this kind of shit. Eventually he settled on just shrugging. Erwin could believe whatever he wanted.

There was a knock on the balcony door and they both swivelled their heads towards it like they'd been caught in a compromising position. Hange stood there nearly glued to the glass and Levi blessed them.

“I suppose that is our cue to head back inside,” Erwin sighed and motioned with his hand for Levi to precede him.

Upon re-entering the sitting room there was an unmistakable shift in the atmosphere and Levi felt the uncomfortable sensation return full force. Unnervingly, Erwin's attention hardly left Levi for a moment as the evening progressed. There was a small frown between his heavy brows and he kept tapping his thigh as if he was in deep thought about something.

Levi was teetering on an edge when Hange finally extracted them from the so called meeting and he kept up a quick pace, anxious to be back at Hange's house.

“I think that went rather well, actually,” Hange declared as they removed their footwear in the hallway. “Both Mike and Nanaba seemed to like you a lot. Well, honestly mostly just Nana, but she told Mike to stop grumbling and he did. I think that's the best outcome we could hope for-”

Hange's nattering stopped when Levi slammed his fist against the wall. He hadn't meant to do it, didn't know where that breach of control came from, but it felt good in the moment. He was just fucking pissed. Seethingly angry. But unlike the Ackerman turf there were no easily available alphas to smack around and put in place. The only person there was Hange and though they were a lot of things, then they didn't deserve that.

“What did you and Erwin talk about, anyway?” Hange asked, their voice steady but uncharacteristically calm.

“Nothing much,” Levi lied, but then thought better of it and tried to find words to his ruminations. “I am just fucking frustrated, alright? There is no respect here, only stupid fucking questions and games.”

The look Hange gave him was pensive before they nodded slowly. “You're right,” they agreed, “we can't expect you to find a place in this clan if we don't give you one. You need a job! Something to occupy you.”

It hadn't really been what Levi was talking about, but Hange had his interest piqued regardless. He was done dragging his ass around and just wasting time. Done thinking. A job might be suitably distracting.

“What do you have in mind?” he asked cautiously because Hange was lenient to say almost anything.

“I am in a need of an assistant on my new anthropological project that's kicking off this fall!” Hange declared and pushed their glasses up their nose again, as they usually did when they were working themselves up.

Levi just stared at them. He hoped his flat gaze could convey just how stupid of an idea that actually was. When Hange's manic smile didn't waver even the lightest, he felt the need to remind them of a few facts, “I can barely _read_ , Hange, I have to be the worst person for such a job- unless you want me to boil your tea and clean your disaster area of an office.”

Actually, now that he was thinking about it, Levi could do that.

“That's where you're wrong my irascible omega,” Hange crowed and placed their arm around his shoulders. He tried to shake it off but their grip was like steel. “You're more than qualified, actually, you're absolutely _perfect_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: a wild Eren POV appears!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“What the fuck, Eren?” Levi hissed in a whisper that barely carried and Eren couldn't help the big smile crawling right back on his face. Shit, if he hadn't missed that voice- it sent shivers down his spine._
> 
> _Could you get addicted to a sound? Eren believed so._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuhuuu, so here's an Eren POV! I debated with myself for some time whether I wanted to break it up like this, and eventually agreed with myself that I did. So yeah, here he is <333 Eren bb. It's a long one though!
> 
> Music: [I wanna be adored - The Stone Roses](https://open.spotify.com/track/758wEKVqfYopJIHYWdLVd4?si=fP5peNKmTAW9QvamL7EFBA)

**Eren**

It had been a bit over two weeks. Actually, it had been sixteen days. Not that Eren was counting or anything.

Sixteen days since he last saw Levi. Sixteen days since they visited Trost U and Levi had kissed him. Then there had been total radio silence. He would have been tempted to believe Levi had just up and left one night without saying goodbye, but the suspicious behaviour of various clan members told him that _something_ was going on over at Hange's house.

Whenever Eren made his way up there to check on Levi, something inevitably got in the way. It could be Mike suddenly popping up out of nowhere, which was really uncanny and quite distressing considering the sheer size and smell of that large alpha. Or then it would be Nanaba hailing him with a bright smile and yet another favour she just _really_ needed help with, right then. If Eren was lucky enough to even make it to the porch of the large Victorian house, Hange was always the one answering the door telling him some bullshit about Levi either being asleep or in the bath.

Eren knew when Levi took baths, gods damn it.

Eren didn't need Hange's assurances that Levi was safe and whole, but just a bit too busy to see him whenever he came around. He knew Levi was right fucking _there_ behind those stupid blue walls. He didn't really know how he knew, really, couldn't explain it to anyone if they asked, but he knew that inside that house somewhere was Levi. Understood it in the same way he felt hunger or thirst- it was just a knowledge so basic and primal there was no way to interpret it wrong.

So on the sixteenth day, Eren waited around. He wasn't hiding so much as he was... seeking shadow in the bushes? If anyone saw him and asked, that's what he'd say, anyway. It was late evening and the sun was setting, but the warmth of summer had truly rolled in and the evening felt balmy despite the lengthening shadows.

He was just trying to put heads and tails on the sudden, strange behaviour from everybody. Nothing in Levi's scent or body language had hinted at him being fed up with Eren. But perhaps most telling, Levi hadn't actually _said_ anything and though Eren admittedly missed a lot of social cues from people, Levi was so forthcoming with his displeasure it was hard to miss. Even for Eren.

So it didn't add up.

Lurking about, trying not to look too suspicious if someone was to see him, Eren whiled away the time by dicking around on his phone. After what felt like an eternity, the front door opened and several people stepped out. Seeing the tall shape of Mike and the smaller Nana right by his side didn't surprise Eren any since they had been hanging around Hange's house like gnats the past two weeks. What did surprise Eren, however, was the last person out. He stood illuminated by the setting sun, his hair glinting a deep golden while he talked to someone obscured behind the door.

Fucking bastard was beautiful with his head thrown back as he laughed, shirt and vest looking both tailored and casual at the same time. Eren gnashed his teeth against the pang of anger that shot through him. Even if he couldn't _see_ the person Erwin was chatting with, he could certainly _smell_ him, and it demanded all of Eren's self discipline not to just bolt up there and grab a hold of Levi.

Instead, he waited for Mike and Nanaba to disappear in the direction of their house. Erwin remained chatting for a while more and Eren couldn't believe that suave motherfucker was trying to lay on his charms. Eren couldn't think of a person less inclined to fall for that than Levi.

When the door began to close, Eren made his move. Erwin was distracted, staring at the door for a few moments after it had closed and did not immediately notice Eren walking up behind him. When there was only about half a meter between them, Erwin's sharp ears twitched and he turned around. His shoulders were thrown back and face carefully composed, though the pupils in the eerily blue eyes contracted in recognition of the alpha in front of him. If Eren hadn't been staring right into his eyes he would have missed the only indication that the Clan Alpha was surprised at his presence. Eren smiled.

“Hey,” Eren greeted, lips moving over his already lengthening fangs, “so you've just been visiting Levi?”

Erwin's own mouth twitched.

“I have,” he confirmed, “we just had dinner.”

“He good?”

It was annoying having to look up into Erwin's face. Eren cracked his neck loose and rolled his shoulders to ease the tension in his muscles.

“He is well,” Erwin replied. The air between them was rapidly growing heavy and Eren knew that he had already spent the small patience Erwin had towards him.

“Great,” Eren grinned, fully aware that every sharpened tooth was on display, “maybe I should pay him a visit too, then.”

Erwin wasn't rising to the bait.

“Levi is probably tired after work,” Erwin stated, voice clipped and chilled.

“Oh, Levi got himself a job?” Eren inquired, tilting his head to the side and taking a step forward, closing the gap between them.

“At Trost University,” Erwin revealed. The greater alpha's shadow fully encased Eren as he loomed over him. It was becoming difficult to breathe in the stale air.

“I should congratulate him, then,” Eren persisted.

The hand that suddenly fell on his shoulder had its claws out, golden and sharp. Erwin was well beyond the point of agitation Eren had suspected. It was hard not to laugh in triumph, but he managed by swallowing several times, though the corners of his mouth twitched upwards. The grip Erwin had on him tightened, the tip of his clawed thumb scraping against his throat.

Slowly, Erwin moved them down the pathway that lead to Hange's house and out onto the pavement, Eren walking backwards the entire way. Once they were a suitable distance from the house, Erwin twisted his hand into the front of Eren's shirt and pulled him up until he was standing on tiptoes. The strength in the Clan Alpha was undeniable and a small flare of panic shot through Eren, the last remnant of his survival instinct kicking in before it died again.

“If Levi even gives the smallest of hints that he does not want you around-” Erwin hissed into Eren's face, “-and you do not listen, I _will_ gut you and string you up by your own intestines. Do you understand?”

Eren's eyes widened at the implication.

“Yeah,” he agreed. They were close enough that his breath fluttered Erwin's flaxen lashes. “Though unlike you, Levi has yet to try and claw my eyes out in self defence.”

Erwin shoved Eren forcefully, making him stumble before he managed to regain his footing. Wondering with a racing heart whether this was it, that he had finally managed to push the Clan Alpha a step too far, Eren glared up at him and prepared for whatever was to come.

But Erwin had taken a step back, his upper lip drawn into a grimace of disgust. “Don't forget in which circumstances you met him, Eren.”

Eren opened his mouth, but no sound came out nor did any air come in. It felt like he was both burning up and freezing to death at the same time and his body shuddered violently. All those bruises on that pale skin.

The hand that had moments before manhandled him was back on his shoulder, still firm, but less brutal. Erwin turned him around and pushed him decisively down towards his own house.

“Go home,” Erwin demanded and Eren's legs began to obey without his brain's input. “Give Levi time to figure this out.”

Eren was already half way down the street towards his house when his brain finally kick-started again, screaming at him that this wasn't right. It was wrong, wrong, wrong. He felt bruised and sore, like someone had pummelled him with fists rather than words, and the only thing he wanted to do more than crumble up and cry was to see Levi.

If Levi truly didn't want to see him then he could say so himself.

Scouting the road, Eren found no signs of Erwin or anyone else who could potentially get in his way. He jumped in between the hedges lining the road and made his way up towards the blue house again through the back gardens. Brambles and thorns caught at his clothes and scratched at his skin, but he didn't care.

He had only been to Levi's room once and it took some time before he was able to locate the corresponding windows. It was dark in there for now, but Levi would probably be wanting to take his bath soon.

Actually, Eren realised when he checked his phone for the time, it was way past it.

When the lights in the room lit only moments later, Eren smiled. Like fucking clockwork that man. Searching the ground for some small, suitable rocks, Eren collected a handful before hefting one in his hand. Gauging the distance, he threw the first one towards Levi's window but missed, thudding dully into the wall instead.

He had better luck with the next one, and the third, and when Eren was just about to throw the fourth a shadow obscured the light from the window. Knowing that he was making an absolute fool out of himself, but not caring in the slightest, Eren waved energetically at the shadow. If Levi truly didn't want to talk to him, then now was the time to get a proper answer from the man himself.

A long moment passed in which nothing happened. The shadow that was Levi only stood there, completely still. Eren's racing heart began to sink and his smile went with it.

It was fine, really.

It was fine.

It wasn't fine.

But then the window flew open and Levi leaned out with a furious scowl on his face.

“What the fuck, Eren?” he hissed in a whisper that barely carried and Eren couldn't help the big smile crawling right back on his face. Shit, if he hadn't missed that voice- it sent shivers down his spine.

Could you get addicted to a sound? Eren believed so.

“You ghosting me or what?” Eren asked in return, trying to make his yell into a whisper like Levi had.

“What?” was Levi's brusque reply, but then, “hang on.”

Watching Levi, Eren was beginning to believe that the man must have been climbing walls his entire life. In one smooth movement Levi had jumped on the sill, found a footing on the protruding carving of the window underneath, jumped over to the roof of the winter garden and then slipped down to stand right in front of Eren. And Eren couldn't help it, he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and brushing the pads of his fingers against the nape of Levi's neck, feeling the contrast of smooth skin and hard scales that had become so familiar to him already.

Leaning down and inhaling Levi's scent like it was pure oxygen after having been suspended under water, Eren waited for the inevitable push and “ _fuck off_ ”, but it didn't come.

There were faint traces of Hange, Erwin and even Mike on Levi, but they all faded as a backdrop to Levi's scent of freshly cut grass. Happy.

What Eren appreciated with Levi was that he rarely spent time or energy saying unnecessary things. There were no “ _why are you here?_ ” or “ _what do you want?_ ”

Instead Levi simply said, “took you long enough.”

“Yeah... well,” Eren sighed and shrugged in apology, “you try getting past Mike's brooding stare.”

“I take it Erwin's watch dog has been busy,” Levi muttered before finally stepping away from Eren's touch.

“ _Very,_ ” Eren agreed with a wide eyed nod.

Levi's lack of surprise in regards to what had kept Eren at bay sort of said it all. Erwin's watch dog. Erwin at Hange's house. Eren couldn't really say he hadn't expected it, though it did pose quite a bit of a problem. A huge problem, actually, because Eren wasn't about to back down. Not now.

“He been bothering you?” Eren asked. Erwin's harsh words still felt like open wounds in his chest.

“No more or less than anyone else,” Levi shrugged and raised an eyebrow as if to indicate that Eren too, belonged in the category of “anyone else”.

Maybe he was teasing, maybe he was serious. Irregardless, Eren was hurting too much to find any humour in it.

Levi walked away from the house looking deceptively fragile in his oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. He was not wearing any shoes and walked carefully as not to step on any twigs or rocks in Hange's messy garden.

“I can carry you, you know,” Eren offered chivalrously and was rewarded with a stern glare.

Denied, Eren brushed his fingers down Levi's bare arm with some trepidation. The white, unblemished skin was so warm to the touch. Eren trailed the length of the arm until he could entwine their fingers together. Levi looked down on their hands and gave a little squeeze of affirmation. Eren breathed easy.

Sixteen days felt like they had lasted years. Sure, Eren was lenient towards melodrama when he didn't get his way, but feeling Levi's skin against his own again- there were really no words to describe it.

Levi led them through Hange's yard and into the apple orchard below it. The trees had already been in bloom for a while and the white flowers were cascading over them in the mellow breeze. The orchard had probably been lush and well kept at one point, but Hange wasn't one to care much for the upkeep of apples and so the grass had grown tall, branches that should have been cut hung low and a mouldy ladder still stood leaning up against a tree. Dusk was falling over them, tinting everything in shades of grey and blue. A lone nightingale called out from one of the trees not far from where they were wandering.

“So, my end of terms are soon,” Eren stated as a way of conversation. He couldn't believe he was actually trying to engage in nervous chatter with Levi, of all people. Levi only nodded mutely, so Eren continued, “I'm supposed to write a twenty page proposition for my thesis next year. I hardly even know what my major is all about, never mind writing a gods damned _thesis_ about it.”

“What's a thesis?” Levi asked and Eren took a moment to gauge whether it was meant as a joke or if it was a serious question. Levi's expression was carefully blank, lacking that usual sardonic eyebrow conveying that he was fucking about at Eren's expense.

“A thesis is like, uh,” Eren tried to explain, but realised he couldn't even formulate _that_ properly, “like, uhm, I have to find a topic within my chosen field that I want to discuss, whether I think previous research has been neglectful in some area or, like, prove my own theory through an applied methodology, er...”

“I think it is a skill you have,” Levi said seriously, “being able to sound simultaneously pretty smart and really dumb.”

Eren threw his head back and laughed. It really shouldn't be so good to be back on the sharp edge of Levi's tongue, yet he had missed it like water in the desert.

With the shadow of a smile ghosting across his lips, Levi released their clasped hands and stepped up to one of the larger apple trees. Nimbly, with feet only clad in socks, he jump up on the trunk and threw himself over to one of the lower slung branches. Hauling himself up, he perched there and looked down on Eren with what appeared to be detached boredom.

“I get enough of that academic talk at the university,” Levi said before he suddenly fell.

Eren was just about to step forward to catch him, but Levi merely hung from the branch from his bent knees, stretching his arms downwards with catlike grace. His t-shirt had fallen down, exposing every muscles in his stomach and abdomen and Eren couldn't help but heavily swallow the saliva that suddenly pooled in his mouth. Shaking himself like a wet dog, Eren let the hot air in his lungs out in a long, measured exhale. He'd seen Levi naked so many times it should have been mundane by now, but each and every time was a test on his self restraint. Levi's comfortable exhibitionism and complete trust was more than enough of a reward, but it had been so long since Eren saw him last and his fingers were itching to touch. To just feel that soft skin one more time.

Giving in, Eren reached out and grazed both hands down Levi's sides which instantly tensed up.

“What- are you ticklish?” Eren teased and splayed his fingers to try and force an even better reaction out of him.

“You know I am in a perfect position to punch you in the dick, right?” Levi growled back, blue eyes glinting dangerously.

There was not even a hint of silver in them, so Eren knew he had a bit more leeway before things would turn ugly. Eren curled his fingers and found Levi's bones and prominent muscles hard, but the flesh soft and pliant.

Levi's retaliation was swift, though not entirely what Eren had anticipated. Instead of a punch or a shove, Levi grabbed a hold around Eren's sides and tickled him back, his small, nimble fingers somehow managing to find and push every nerve until Eren was yelling and struggling to escape.

When Levi deemed that Eren had removed himself sufficiently far not to be a nuisance, he started on a series of inverted sit ups with uncanny expertise.

“Keep the count,” Levi demanded, and Eren honestly tried, but after having gone beyond fifty he just couldn't be bothered anymore.

“Don't you get dizzy from all the blood in your head?” Eren asked after a while.

Honestly, he didn't actually want Levi to ever stop. Watching the abdominal muscles ripple and tense for each movement was both hypnotic and an incredible turn on. Granted, Eren had been half hard since he caught Levi's scent, but what else was new.

Levi stopped for a moment while hanging there suspended, barely even breathing heavier from the effort before groaning, “yeah.”

Dropping down from the branch, Levi sat squatting on the ground for a while aligning his head again. Deciding that it was his turn to show off, Eren jumped up and gripped the branch before commencing with a series of push ups.

“Your turn to keep count,” Eren declared as Levi sat staring up at him.

Eren didn't keep to any particular fitness regime, but he didn't really have to either. Muscles came natural to him, like intelligence prevailed in betas and- well, he had thought a nurturing nature was the common denominator between omegas, but he supposed he'd been all wrong there. Had all the books on dynamics been that uninformed or was Levi just really _different_? Eren supposed he had no way of knowing... perhaps there was something in Levi's biochemical make up that- ah! Perhaps this could be the foundation of his thesis.

Lost in his own train of thought, Eren was startled back into reality when a heavy weight suddenly jumped onto his back.

“This is too easy for you alpha,” Levi declared, his thigh muscles clamping around Eren's midsection and his arms wrapping around his shoulders, “try and go for fifty now.”

Feeling both riled up from Levi's body so close to him and the challenge issued, Eren did try his best. He was sure he would have made it too, but as he pushed past twenty he could hear the branch groan.

“Levi-!” was all he had the time to call out before the branch gave way and they crashed to the ground in a heap.

It wasn't that much of a drop so the impact wasn't painful and Eren was certain they wouldn't have fallen over at all if it hadn't been for the suddenness of the branch breaking. Lying there, Eren was laughing so hard and so loud Levi seemed to think it necessary to clamp a hand over his mouth. Turning over onto his back, Eren peered at Levi to scope his reaction and felt his heart swell when he saw the echoing grin on Levi's face. Levi had a slight overbite and when he laughed like that, his tongue poked through the small gap.

Watching with wonder, Eren marvelled how there was still still space in his aching chest for his swollen heart.

In an effort to allevate the pressure, Eren brushed some of Levi's inky hair out of his face. Touching him always helped. Tracing the sharp cheekbones, the small nose, the slanted and hooded eyes framed by dark eyelashes. And those pale pink lips that had parted slightly as Levi scrutinized him in turn. Eren really, really wanted to return to them.

“Can I kiss you?” Eren murmured.

Levi's face stilled completely for a moment and then he questioned with a tint of incredulity in his voice, “you're asking for permission?”

“Yes,” Eren asserted. Because he had to, because Levi was everything, and Eren was certain that if he took something from Levi that he didn't want to give, Eren's heart would stop.

He felt like he was split clean in two, one part of him wanted to claim and devour, the other wished to adhere and worship. They met on the middle, waiting for Levi's assent or denial.

“Kiss me,” Levi whispered.

Resting his weight on one elbow, Eren leaned over and carded his fingers into the soft strands of hair. Feeling reverent, Eren bent his head down slowly, but Levi had grown impatient with his hesitance and twinned his own fingers around Eren's neck. Eren got pulled down just as Levi lifted himself up and their lips met with no grace.

Closing his eyes, Eren focused on the feeling of Levi's lips against his own. Their softness, how they parted slightly with a small, warm breath, how pliant they were when Eren dragged his own over them. Eren pulled Levi's bottom lip in and sucked lightly on it before releasing it again.

The sensation of a current running beyond the limits of their skin whenever they touched was even stronger now. It sent tendrils reaching deep into Eren's body, snagging at the nape of his neck and boiling in his blood. If it felt like this to _kiss_ Levi, then Eren could only imagine-

He darted his tongue out and pressed them against Levi's lips who greeted him, warm and with a soft sigh. Their tongues caressed each other and Eren sucked Levi's in deeper, grazing his teeth lightly against it before pressing down and claiming further. Levi gave way with a low hum in the back of his throat.

Levi was fully underneath him now, pinned to the ground by Eren's weight with the warmth of his smaller body seeping through the thin fabric of their clothes. They were already tumbling in the high grass, but even without it, Eren knew that everything would smell just like this. Earthen and lush, just like Levi.

With the immediate, desperate hunger for Levi calming down, Eren began to pull back so that he could study him. He wanted to see what Levi's expression looked like, whether his eyes were hooded and glazed, but the quiet moan escaping Levi ended any and all thought process in Eren's brain. Answering the needy sound with one of his own, their lips clashed together again. Less hesitant, less with the intent of discovering and fully with the desire to get closer.

Each breath he took rattled in his chest and he was getting disoriented and dizzy. Up felt like down and the only points of his body that he was able to discern were the ones touching Levi. He wanted all of him. No, want was too small of a word for the burning desire that threatened to overwhelm him completely.

With great effort, Eren managed to pull back and the haze eased slightly with the influx of fresh air. More time must have passed than he had been aware of for the sun had almost set completely, bathing them in dark shadows between the trees. Levi was breathing erratically just like Eren, their panting sounding loud between them with lips red and swollen. Eren wanted to say something, but all he could come to think of were phrases such as “ _holy shit_ ” and “ _fuck_ ”, so instead he wisely opted to remain silent.

“Shit fuck,” Levi murmured and Eren couldn't help but laugh again and nod in complete agreement.

So much pent up emotion and need went into that laugh, he just couldn't stop. Weeks of wanting and thinking and now finally Levi was here with him like this, in the way he had only dreamed of. Levi's flushed expression made way for something softer- a brief flash of tenderness.

Eren kissed his forehead, his cheeks, the tip of his nose and his chin. It was the sort of soppy gestures he was sure Levi found both dumb and embarrassing, but he wasn't complaining or pushing him away, allowing Eren to get his fill.

“Levi,” Eren whispered his name, trailing soft kisses down his jaw and neck, brushing bruised lips against the hot pulse there. Levi's lifeblood thumped heavy in his veins and Eren let his fangs scrape against the salty skin before licking it.

Cradling Levi with one arm under his back and the other under his head, Eren buried his nose in his neck and inhaled, crushing the smaller body to himself. He felt intoxicated, only noticing how Levi was pulling up his shirt and drawing sharp nails across his back as something happening far away.

“Gods I want you,” Eren groaned, though he supposed that his hardness pressing against Levi's thigh was evidence enough.

“Yeah, but maybe not here,” Levi interjected, his voice husky despite its usual deadpan deliverance, “I think I got a branch digging into my ass.”

“That's not a branch, babe.” Eren couldn't help it, he really couldn't. He let out a guffaw when Levi lightly slapped him upside the head.

Still laughing, Eren solved the problem by turning them around so that he was lying on the rapidly cooling ground and Levi sat up in his lap. Levi wriggled a bit and hummed darkly, “well, now I really _do_ have a fucking branch digging into my ass.”

With a teasing grin, Eren thrust his hips up and grinded into Levi who growled in response. The falling darkness made it difficult to read his expression, but his scent was warm and inviting, like a field basking in the sun. It was addictive.

Levi's face was shrouded in darkness except a light shimmer in his eyes, but his body was so warm and his scent so sweet in a way Eren had never experienced before. It had been muddy with sadness and scorched with anger, but never sun dappled like this and Eren couldn't stop the heavy sigh of contentment. He held his palms up and Levi clasped them before entwining their fingers together again. Where the skin of their palms met Eren could feel that peculiar tingling. That current just between the two of them.

“Are you busy tomorrow?” Eren wondered in a whisper, feeling like he had to be quiet to not ruin the moment.

“Not really,” Levi replied, his voice also low, its cadence stirring something deep in Eren's stomach. “Hange wants me to come with them to their lab again, but we should be home around five.”

“Okay,” Eren breathed and kneaded the hands resting in his, “I'll drop by around seven-ish? After your bath, anyway.”

“Yeah,” Levi agreed. It was just a simple little word, but the way his breath left him in a near gasp at the end of it had tingles shoot up and down Eren's spine.

Sitting up with Levi still warm in his lap, Eren placed a kiss on the back of each of his hands before untangling them to embrace him in a hug. It was undeniable that Levi was much in the same predicament as Eren when he felt Levi's erection brush against his stomach with their close proximity. Eren wanted him so badly he could almost taste it like iron on his tongue.

But not like this. Not hidden away and guilty under the apple trees in Hange's garden. Erwin had been right about that, at least. He didn't have to threaten to gut Eren- the pain of remembering that first meeting had his insides twisting all on their own. Yet Eren hesitated to call the flashing images in his mind for memories. They felt more like red-tinted impressions of hunger, satisfaction, desire. Sometimes he dreamed of a maw full of sharp teeth opening in a silent scream, black claws and- _wings_?

Eren shook his head and buried his nose in Levi's neck again, humming when that scent invoked an image of a flowering field to replace the fractured echoes in his mind.

“Do you want me to leave you alone?” Eren whispered nearly soundlessly, barely able to force the words past his lips. Levi was relaxed in his lap, resting his chin on Eren's shoulder and pulling absentmindedly at his long hair.

“No,” Levi simply replied. There was nothing more to it.

Their embrace lasted until the last warmth of the summer day was gone and the evening chill settled in.

It was only half past ten by the time Eren made it back to his house and both Armin and Mikasa were wide awake, doing their thing. Eren could hear the synthwave blasting out from the open living room window and knew Armin had gotten drunk on rum and coke again. Upon entering he quickly discovered that Mikasa wasn't much better of either, though it was only by the grace of having known her most of his life that Eren was able to see it. Whereas most people's tell could be slurred talking or stumbled dancing, Mikasa's tell was that she actually _danced_ in the first place. No fumbling steps or long monologues about loving your friends needed with that one.

Feeling like he had some catching up to do, Eren grabbed the now nearly empty bottle of rum and took a deep swig. It tasted like absolute shit because Armin was a stingy bastard and not about to bust any money for the good stuff.

“What are we celebrating?” Eren yelled over the music, shivering violently as the awful liquor burned his throat.

“My boss quit his job and I got a promotion,” Mikasa grinned and fist pumped the air.

That was good news. That was _great_ news, actually, since Mikasa's bigoted _no dym_ boss had been a thorn in her side since day one. And since Eren was already vibrating with pent up tension and giddy butterflies, he hugged her close to his chest and hollered in jubilation.

“Shit, you smell like Levi,” Mikasa grinned as she pushed away from Eren's chest which she had been crushed against. Then the words caught up to her and her eyes grew wide. “You finally got a hold of the little asshole?”

“Yeah, you can say that,” Eren smiled indulgently. He was pretty sure the blissed out expression on his face told the entire story.

“So what was the deal?” she continued to prod, taking the bottle from his hand and swigging at it without as much as a twitch. “Was he ghosting you after all?”

Armin had caught up to the conversation, but instead of sitting down like a sober person, he draped himself upside down over the back of the couch. His long, blonde hair pooled to the floor in tresses and his face was already getting red with blood, but he seemed unconcerned.

“What's going on?” Armin wondered, voice too loud to make up for the music blasting. “Are the hell weeks over, are they finally talking again?”

Yeah, so Eren might have been a bit moody as he had been pondering what was going on, but they didn't have to make drama out of it.

“No, he wasn't ghosting me,” Eren revealed and sat down on the side-arm of the couch. Lifting his shirt up to his nose, Eren was pleased to note that Levi's scent was indeed all over it.

“Oh, thank fuck,” Mikasa breathed in relief, “I don't think I could have dealt with that if he was.”

“I am not _that_ bad,” Eren objected, but Mikasa and Armin merely shared the Look.

“You broke two controllers in one week,” Mikasa pointed out.

“Our food budget has doubled,” Armin didn't hesitate to add.

“You made Sasha cry and now Connie won't talk to us anymore,” Mikasa reminded him.

“There's still a crack in the wall after you punched it.” Armin pointed at the spot in question.

“Alright, alright!” Eren groaned and fell down on top of Armin who cried out in pain and distress. “I don't like you guys when you're drunk.”

“But we love you very much,” Mikasa crooned and ruffled his hair. “Though I would have had to kick your ass if you kept stalking that omega against his will.”

“I'll have you know he kissed me first,” Eren defended himself. The accusation she was levering him with stung deeper than it should thanks to Erwin's earlier barrage. Then he remembered that first kiss two weeks ago all over again and couldn't help grinning. It might have been a tad smug.

Armin was valiantly attempting to wriggle out from underneath him, sounding increasingly panicky. “Move your fat ass, Eren,” Armin wheezed, “you're a fucking walrus.”

Eren dug his elbow in a little deeper.

“Please don't kill my best friend,” Mikasa dead panned before taking a hold of Eren's arms and effortlessly pulling him up long enough for Armin to squeeze his way out to freedom.

Throwing himself back onto the vacated spot, Eren held his hand out for Armin to grab for support to get himself up from the floor.

“You guys honestly think I could do something to Levi without his consent?” Eren asked them, perhaps a bit too serious for the blasting synthwave and heavy rum burps. “He'd fucking tear me a new one.”

“No, he doesn't really strike me as the type of guy who'd put up with you to be polite,” Mikasa shrugged. It felt like a huge understatement, but also an immense relief to hear someone else say it too.

“Fuck, I am so tired of talking about Levi,” Armin groaned, settling his bony ass on Eren's stomach. “It has seriously been non stop and tonight we're supposed to be celebrating Mikasa's promotion.”

Eren supposed he should feel bad about his one track mind, but he didn't really. That didn't mean he couldn't at least pretend to be a better friend, though.

“Sorry,” Eren murmured, his half-assed apology instantly drowned in the loud music. Mikasa grabbed a pillow and smacked him across the head with it a few times.

“You're crushing that hard, huh?” she yelled at him. Then she burst out laughing again, the reminder of why they were drinking in the first place putting her right back in a good mood. “Your surly little omega has fucked you up, Eren.”

His surly little omega. That was right.

* * *

It wasn't quite seven in the evening when Eren made his way to Hange's house again. Honestly, it was half past five, but it was a warm and sunny day and Eren didn't mind waiting. This was the fourth time that week he had made his way up to the blue house to see Levi since their little reunion. He'd learned the second night that he better take the long way around, walking out onto the fields outside the village so as not to get accosted by Mike again. How that man could sneak up on anyone was a mystery.

Stepping past the hedges and seeing Hange's house, large and intimidating, Eren wondered if this was how all secret lovers in Edwardian era romance novels felt like. Reaching the fence lining the orchard, Eren leaned upon it and one couldn't have beaten the grin off his face with a baseball bat. Underneath the apple trees was Levi, busy at work raking old leaves, apples and debris into neat piles. He was wearing a cap Eren hadn't seen before, as well as a pair of sunglasses and a longsleeved t-shirt. Still very much sensitive to the sun apparently.

With Levi's back turned to him, Eren tried to sneakily climb over the fence and steal up to him, but before he could do anything he was stopped by Levi growling, “don't you fucking dare, alpha.”

“Oh come on,” Eren whined, “you could at least pretend to be surprised or something.”

Levi turned and glared up at him from behind his sunglasses. “Not a chance.”

“Can I get a kiss, then?” Eren continued to cajole, trying his very best at a suave and charming smile, though he suspected he looked mostly just dopey.

Levi clicked his tongue, as he usually did when something annoyed him just so, but stepped up and granted Eren his wish. It was soft and warm like always, but Levi seemed preoccupied and pulled away after too short a time. To stop him, Eren placed his hands on either side of Levi's face and held him in place. His skin felt so smooth and Eren pressed their mouths together hungrily, nipping, sucking and licking until Levi grunted in protest.

Levi's cap had fallen off and his glasses sat askew, his lips were cherry red and glistening with saliva. Laughing, Eren just couldn't bring himself to let go yet and began peppering that scowling and affronted face with more soft kisses.

“Fuck off,” Levi grumbled and Eren knew that a punch to the gut wasn't all that far away unless he eased up.

“Just let me-” Eren begged and pressed his nose into Levi's slightly sweaty hair. He just needed- he just _needed_ a little bit more. Now that the dam had been broken and he had started scratching that insatiable itch, it was nigh on impossible to stop. “-I just need to smell you a bit.”

The scent of pheromones worked on a basis of association, Eren knew. It was somewhat comparable to how humans processed colour. Similar to how the primary vortex interpeted a spectrum of colours, so pheromones triggered somewhere on a spectrum between danger to desire to family. But since scent wasn't visual in nature it stimulated mental images to quicker allow the brain to interpret what kind of situation it was in. All humans born with a dynamic had their own scent, but how the brain opted to associate it depended entirely on attraction, be it positive or negative.

All things one could read about in a book and Eren had done so a bit too much the last few years at university, but his clinical deconstruction of the phenomenon paled in comparison to living and experiencing it. To scent his omega like this.

Fuck, Eren felt like he was losing it. And if this was what they called succumbing to instincts then he was fine with it, he was fucking fine with submitting completely.

“ _Eren_ ,” Levi growled in warning when he was too slow to back off.

Eren had inched his mouth from Levi's hair, down the side of his face and across his neck. Where he had just been kissing heated skin he suddenly felt the peculiar sensation of cool scales. Curious, Eren brushed his lips against them, wanting to imprint the feeling of this new and exotic texture.

“Seriously?” Levi barked, “what part of fuck off are you not getting?”

Like a slap to the face, Eren stumbled back and inhaled deeply. It felt like rising out of water after having been submerged too long. Shaking his head to try and realign himself, Eren looked around- he had forgotten that they were standing out in the afternoon sun in Hange's apple orchard.

“Fuck,” Eren croaked and took a few more steps away from Levi who was merely looking at him with a slight crease between his brows. He appeared wholly unfazed despite the scales lining his neck and throat. “I, uh... sorry,” was all Eren managed to mumble after a while, still struggling to get some air into his lungs.

“It's fine,” Levi assured him flatly. It didn't sound fine to Eren.

He watched quietly as Levi walked over to a tree and carefully placed the rake against the trunk of it. Flicking his gaze up at the large, blue house, Eren wondered whether it was easy to see them down there from one of the upstairs windows. Some part of him hoped so.

Another primal desire was falling into place like a piece of stone upon an ever growing tower. Every part of being with Levi felt like relearning rather than discovering, and watching Levi walking away with his back to him triggered so many conflicting emotions. Every move Levi made spoke in such a familiar language Eren was frustrated that he couldn't understand it. It was at the very edge of his mind, demanding that he remember, that he accept the role given to him.

Instincts, Levi had called them, basic desires best not to indulge in. Eren recalled those words as he stalked the omega across the field.

Levi didn't startle or otherwise indicate surprise when Eren placed his hands on his shoulders and squeezed. Levi was not _an_ omega, he was _the_ Omega. Perhaps it was a symptom of never having been exposed to any other omega before, but truth be told? Eren didn't give a fuck. It felt right.

One of Eren's hands reached more than half way around Levi's neck. Eren circled it loosely, his tanned skin a startling contrast to the sickly white. A symptom of having been locked away like a precious commodity without the sun touching his skin for years- and wasn't Levi _just precious_?

Carding his hand into Levi's black strands, Eren pulled his head to the side to better reveal that delectable neck. He noted Levi's lack of resistance and how his scent only fluctuated faintly. It wasn't until Eren began kneading the unmarked nape of his neck with a thumb that the shining scales spread to protect the area in a non verbal communication to back off. It was mesmerizing watching the scales as they rippled from Levi's spine to cover the otherwise so soft skin.

Eren had made a rare visit to the library in order to see if there was any information about this omega self defence that he had neither heard nor read about before. What he found had been both enlightening and _very_ confounding. Scales on an omega was a rare phenomenon, which yes, Eren had come to understand on his own, but the last documented description of such a trait was dated _two hundred and fifty years ago,_ and even then there was some contention as to the validity of it.

And yet here Levi stood, mastering it and treating it like any omega could wield it, like it was normal, like everyone else were being ignorant assholes for not knowing. Was he being unintentionally obtuse with his power or did Levi honestly not know how rare this was? And if it was Levi's mother who had taught it to him, then Eren wondered who had taught it to _her_?

Furthermore, if a half-assed visit to the library had revealed such information to Eren, then there was no way Hange didn't know. And if Hange knew then there was no doubt that _Erwin_ knew.

Eren placed one chaste kiss to the shimmering scales that shone blue in the sunlight, his attention diverted to the jewellery in Levi's ear- five rings in one, six in the other. Some were carved with patterns, others twisted or just plain silver except for one that was gold. Eren pinched Levi's ear between his lips and let his tongue glide over the hard metal.

Levi startled slightly at the sudden ministrations and asked perplexed, “what are you doing?”

“Just admiring your piercings,” Eren hummed, “when did you get them?”

Trailing his tongue from the lobe and up to the tip of the delicate point, Levi shivered and breathed a heavy sigh that nearly ended in a moan. Eren filed that information away for later.

“They've been gifts through the years,” Levi replied after a while, his voice noncommital.

“Oh?” That caught Eren's interest further. Who had given his Levi gifts? It had to be someone in the Ackerman clan, someone he missed perhaps? “Want to tell me about them?”

“Later, maybe,” Levi denied.

“That reminds me- I have something for you, actually,” Eren declared and pulled the mobile phone he had brought with him from his pocket. “It's my old phone. It isn't anything fancy, but luckily it still has its own sim card and number.”

And Armin kept nagging him about keeping old electronics like it was a bad thing.Levi looked at the device for half a second before taking it and frowning at it.

“Why would I want this?” he asked, turning it around and trailing a finger along the crack at the back of it.

“We could text and call,” Eren explained, “so we don't have to go over two weeks without knowing what the other person is up to again.”

“You mean so you can keep tabs on me,” Levi returned, but tapped the screen regardless and held it up for Eren to show him how to unlock it, which he did.

Levi navigated the phone like he was used to that type of device and Eren supposed he must have owned one before. It made him wonder what else Levi had left behind.Some things just seemed so new and foreign to Levi, things Eren took for granted in his every day life, and then suddenly things like this happened that proved that Levi had indeed had a life before Eren met him.

Eren pulled out his own phone and opened the camera.

“Look at me,” he directed and quickly snapped a shot when Levi glared up at him before he could scowl or otherwise hinder the picture from being taken. Levi merely raised an eyebrow and returned his attention to the phone in his own hands.

“So what's the deal, anyway,” Eren wondered aloud as he set the picture as Levi's contact profile, “with locking you up in the house and all?”

Levi hummed, dragging his attention from the phone to look out on the expanse of field in front of them. Thanks to his height, Eren was at an angle to still see how Levi's eyes narrowed a fraction behind his sunglasses.

“They haven't really said that I am locked up,” Levi muttered, “though there is always someone there- usually Hange.”

“And you don't find that weird at all?” Eren prodded. Levi was probably used to being watched all the time, considering what type of life he came from, but out in the real world that wasn't exactly how things worked.

“Not really,” Levi replied off-handedly, “they obviously want me to stay for the “right” reasons.”

Eren was dumbfounded by the answer, it was too vague a thing for what he had come to expect from Levi.

“And what is a right reason?” Eren demanded.

Levi flicked his eyes up at him and then back towards the fields. Avoidance. Highly unlike Levi.

Eren grabbed a hold of Levi's chin and turned his head back and up to face him none too gently. A flash of something akin to surprise flickered across Levi's face, but he didn't object to the handling and it quickly disappeared again.

“I'm not dumb,” Eren growled, “I get that this has something to do with Erwin.”

Levi's lips thinned and his eyebrows drew down into a scowl.

“He's interested in you, that much is clear,” Eren continued to assert, “he'd be a fucking idiot not to be.”

“And what if I said that's exactly it,” Levi countered, “you're not going to go up there and stir some shit up?”

Yeah, Eren wanted to stir some shit up alright and it wouldn't really be the first time he ended up in a confrontation with the Clan Alpha. Eren knew from experience that he'd get his ass handed to him, but at least he would have made his claim.

“Do you want me to?” Eren asked and Levi's eyes widened a fraction. He stood still in Eren's grasp for a long time before jerking his chin back.

“He'd paint the floor with your face,” Levi eventually concluded, but it didn't escape Eren's notice that he hadn't said right out 'no'.

“Probably,” Eren conceded without much concern, “but that's besides the point.”

The side of Levi's mouth turned up into a snarl, pointed fang glinting. There was only vicious intentions and no humour in it. Eren's hackles raised, but he clamped down on the need to meet the challenge.

“Kenny would have killed you for being so fucking disrespectful to your Clan Alpha,” Levi snapped, “it's a wonder you're still alive.”

Kenny Ackerman, Kenny the Ripper. Eren remembered reading about him in social geography some years back, though the name was already pretty well known between dynamics for his fearsome and relentless slaughter during the Clan Wars. There were rumours that he had single handedly annihilated an entire clan on his own, but _well_ \- thanks to a lack of witnesses no one could testify to it. If even a sliver of the rumours were true then Eren didn't doubt the Clan Alpha would have gotten rid of him sooner rather than later.

And unless something drastic had changed the past couple of weeks, then Eren doubted that Levi's sudden dip in mood came from any new found sense of loyalty to Erwin. But whatever he had come from, things were different in the Smith clan.

“Good thing you didn't manage to conscript me, then,” Eren shrugged and smiled a lopsided grin to show that he wasn't really concerned or bothered.

“Fuck, _Eren_ , you absolute dick,” Levi sighed and twirled the phone in his hands as he returned to scowling at the landscape ahead of them.

Eren remembered when he first met Levi and the most he could hope for in a way of expression was a half hearted glare. Those first few days back home when Levi's eyes were glassy and unconcerned with anything going on around him, and worse, his scent would diminish together with any glow of life. Like he disappeared fully to another place, perhaps into himself, both in body and mind. Eren hated it when Levi reverted back to that apathetic stare. Like he was doing now.

Softly,Eren leaned down and placed his lips against the nape of Levi's neck. The skin there was burning hot and Eren almost drew back in surprise, but instead he left a trail of small pecks up to the short-cropped hair, loving how it tickled his lips.

_What happened to you to make you like this, Levi?_ He wanted to ask, but knew better than to do so. Whatever it was, Eren would tear the entire world apart before they got to touch him again.

Fire and brimstone. There was a vague tint of sulphur in Levi's scent.

The house was quiet. Last Eren had heard anything had been around half past two in the morning, at which point Mikasa had left the bathroom and he assumed gone to sleep. Faint light from the moon and street lights outside filtered in through the bedroom window and Eren tossed around. His sheets felt too hot, but when he kicked them off it was too cold. It was going to be one of those nights. Huffing, he contemplated jerking off, but it would be the third time he masturbated that day and honestly? He just couldn't be arsed.

Stretching until his limbs shook, Eren tried to relax all his muscles. Chilly air brushed across his naked chest and he wondered what it would feel like to have Levi in bed with him. That small, boiling omega would probably have made it unbearably hot.

Eren had always been rather single-minded, but the way his brain unwaveringly returned to Levi at any opportunity was unprecedented, even for him. Closing his eyes tight, images flashed like broken circuits through his tired mind. The same ones, over and over again, and Eren couldn't decide if they were dreams or memories.

_Teeth and claws, the raw unbridled power, the stench of blood, bones crushed underneath his hand_ -

With a gasp, Eren opened his eyes again. He supposed this would be another sleepless night.

Picking up his phone, Eren opened Levi's contact info and stared at the picture. He just looked like Levi- slightly annoyed, but otherwise unconcerned. Just looking at that upturned face had warmth spreading through Eren and it settled in his chest.

Eren had been in love and in relationships before and he knew what that was all about, but _this_ \- this was an entirely different beast. Their alpha and omega connection. Given a bit of time Eren had found the information he needed and he understood, vaguely, why Erwin had been so strict about omegas on their turf in the first place. Especially, perhaps, Eren's close proximity to Levi. The clinical text explained everything about alpha fixation and the too common occurrences of assault against an unwilling omega. But reading the cold, hard facts didn't really measure up to the real deal. Besides, none of the research Eren had skimmed really seemed to agree with each other, peer reviewed or no. Mostly it was just bickering between professors and anyone who had any personal experience were easily shot down as biased. It was all a mess and though Eren shouldn't be touching it with a ten foot pole, he was already putting together his thesis proposal.

He'd make them understand.

Opening a new chat log on his phone, Eren typed to Levi, [Can't sleep. You up?]

He told himself not to expect a reply. Not tonight or even tomorrow. Levi had probably fallen asleep hours ago and, even if he hadn't, he might be the type that just didn't answer messages.

Zooming in on the picture he took of Levi, Eren tried to get a better look at the blue eyes glinting behind the sunglasses. Busy trying to discern whether there was a shimmer of silver in them or no, Eren nearly dropped the phone when it suddenly buzzed in his hands.

Scrambling to open the message, it read, [Yeah.]

Eren had to grin because how could someone actually sound so like themselves in written text?

With new energy, Eren typed, [Why aren't you sleeping?]

It wasn't really news. Eren had woken more than once during the time Levi had stayed in his house, suddenly on high alert with his heart slamming into his throat with futile adrenaline. Each time he'd sneaked into the upstairs hallway and listened to Levi shuffling around downstairs, so he knew the man rarely slept the entire night through. The only times Eren ever saw Levi restful was when he inevitably fell asleep in the bath.

The phone buzzed again, [Just isn't.]

Rolling his eyes, Eren quickly typed, [Wow, I really feel our communication has reached new levels.] After which he continued, [You know I can't smell you through messages right? You have to give me a bit more.]

A few more moments passed and then, [No.]

Oh, for fuck's sake! Eren could just picture the tiny, taunting curve of Levi's lips as he sent that message. He was infuriating, he was enthralling, he was profane and profound. Eren both cursed and exalted the day the Ackerman clan overpowered him.

[Can I drop by tomorrow evening again?] Eren wrote, not really knowing what he'd do if Levi shot him down.

[Yeah.] was the instant reply, then another ticked in, [Hange is gone most of the day.]

Swallowing down the immediate excitement that threatened to overtake him, Eren wrote, [What about Nana and Mike?] He didn't bother asking after Erwin.

[Unless Hange tattles, they'll probably think I've gone to the lab with them.]

A whole day with Levi undisturbed, Eren just couldn't keep back his gleeful smile.

[Okay, so I'll drop by around 11 am???] he asked. He still had his proposition to write since it was due in a week, but he could bring his shit over. Levi probably wouldn't mind.

[Yeah.]

With that promise in mind, Eren closed his eyes and finally found some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the change in POV wasn't too discordant. 
> 
> As always, thank you all soooo sooo much for your feedback! It truly is astonishing and I mean it. Being able to read all your kind and thoughtful comments lifts my spirit up every week! You have no idea how much ❤️❤️


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _With a great, shuddering gasp, Levi managed to pull away and placed a hand over Eren's mouth as he tried to realign some semblance of coherent thought._
> 
> _“It's too fucking hot in here,” Levi groaned and pulled at his shirt that had become plastered to his back with sweat._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, we're back on track guys! Sorry for the impromptu hiatus there. Life sort of sapped any creative energy out of me there for a while... that said, I hope this chapter finds you all well, healthy and safe ❤ Lots of love to each and every one of you.
> 
> Note: I'd also like to remind everyone of the tags and that this fic is heavily centered around themes such as systematic oppression and state governed violence. These things will only become more prominent throughout the story. Though I started writing this last year I feel that reader discretion is adviced. 
> 
> Music: [Pale Flesh - Crystal Castles](https://open.spotify.com/track/6AevYDd63Dt1A1IIbNwxfP?si=Wq_Yb4SKT3aXbKZcJlSpVQ)

“Sure you don't want to come along?” Hange wondered as they slurped on a raspberry smoothie. “Zackley won't be in today so you don't have to worry about him hounding you again.”

Levi shivered with the memory of Darius Zackley sniffing after him down the hallway outside of Hange's office. That Clan Alpha had seemed all wrong, smelled rotten, and it was all Levi could do to not outright attack the man. Following Hange to their office in a derelict building associated with Trost U had become routine most days. Hange had made a good case for him as their new personal assistant for an upcoming project focusing on omega and their life in Trost post-war. It was supposed to shine a light on how the restrictions placed on dynamics in accordance with the Concord affected omegas in particular. Levi wasn't bothering to pretend that he understood any of it, but Hange was adamant that it couldn't be done without his help.

“Do you need me for anything today?” Levi asked. “If not I'd rather spend the day here trying to organize the fallout zone you call a study.”

“Nah, at this point we're just waiting for the applications and funding to trickle through,” Hange shrugged. They made an intense attempt at sucking in every little bit of smoothie, their cheeks hollowed with the effort and the straw slurping obnoxiously.

Levi hated it at the University, though that wasn't his only reason for declining Hange's invitation that morning. Besides really not wanting to be on the receiving end of Zackley's perverted stares or feel like an uneducated sewer rat, Levi had told Eren he could come by after Hange had left.

Exiting the kitchen and leaning up against the wall of the hallway, Levi kept his ears peeled as he quickly typed out a message to Eren, [Hange is leaving soon. Come around back, I've left the door to the conservatory open.]

He had just enough time to shove the phone back into his pocket before Hange came ambling out after him.

“Alright short stack, I am off to work!” Hange chirped and opened their briefcase to make sure they'd packed all the right papers. “I must admit that it's going to be boring without you, I had sort of gotten used to your sour and unfriendly company now.”

Levi scoffed and glared before turning around and heading into the study further down the hall. He hadn't been joking when he called it a fallout zone. There were books and papers everywhere, which was fine, though annoying- what really got to Levi was how it existed in _layers_. Layers upon layers of books and used dishes and candy wrappers and mouldy cups alternating depending on what project Hange had been working on. Levi doubted anyone had cleaned there for _years_.

Holding his breath, like that could somehow help him, he skipped over a particularly nasty case of rotten pizza cardboard to reach the desk for what he knew was lying there discarded. Hange had forgotten their dID, _again_ , and even though they were a renowned, published professor they'd be hauled into detention if ever caught without it. The red stripes declared Hange a class S dynamic citizen, almost on par with a _no dym_ in terms of social freedoms.

Levi would get his very own, and very first, dID card once he got officially hired as Hange's assistant. A class A citizen thanks to his status as an omega. It would also register him in the _no dym_ government records as belonging to the Smith clan rather than the Ackerman clan. A vague sense of nausea churned in his gut at the thought. He had chosen this, after all. He had chosen not to return to Kenny, to put his back to his blood and friends in order to do _what_ exactly? Fool around with Eren in a field?

Crushing the cheap plastic of the dID card in his hand until he felt it nearly give in, Levi closed his eyes tight and took a deep breath through his nose. He just couldn't shake the feeling that he was fucking everything up and he was _pissed_. It was a slow simmering anger, this discontent, that Levi recognized from his youth. In the end something would have to give.

“Short stack?” Hange's inquiring voice filtered in from the hallway, “you're not even gonna say goodbye?”

Shaking himself from the momentary discomposure, Levi trudged back out again holding the card up for Hange to see.

“You'll get yourself put in detention in the end, four eyes,” Levi grumbled, trying to cover up his concern as teasing. While Levi and Eren might have stumbled upon some really lazy dID controllers a few weeks back, Hange might not get so lucky.

“Oh, thanks!” Hange exclaimed and gratefully took the tag before shoving it into their briefcase as well. “How do I look?” they inquired and stood to attention.

Levi gave them a once over; they were wearing their blue tweed suit today, patched elbows and everything, and managed to look rather fetching. Of course their shirt already had a stain from the smoothie and the trousers could have done with some ironing, but it would have to do. Levi nodded once, it was the only compliment he was gonna give, but Hange took it as it was meant and beamed.

Leaning down, Hange surprised him by smacking their mouth straight on his cheek in a wet, rasberry scented kiss before jumping back and waving at him.

“Be good today, wifey dearest, and remember we have guests for dinner tonight!” Hange reminded him and just as Levi was about to charge after them with the intent of bloody murder, Hange skipped out of the door while cackling loudly.

Slamming the door after them, Levi couldn't decide whether he wanted to groan or laugh so he settled on dunking his head dully against the woodwork a couple of times. Hange really was _something_.

“Don't knock yourself out entirely,” a teasing voice murmured behind him.

Levi's body reacted to the familiar note quicker than he could process it in his brain. Lips and tongue tingling, Levi's breath felt hot in his lungs and a light perspiration already dampened his temples.For once Eren had nearly managed to take him by surprise, though Levi hid it by remaining unmoving where he stood leaning up against the door.

“You should be more careful,” Levi admonished him, “Hange could have smelled you.”

“Nah, I was hiding until I heard them leave,” Eren answered, unconcerned.

Strong arms wrapped around Levi and pulled him back from the door and into Eren's chest. It was quickly followed by hot kisses in his hair, the side of his face and down his neck. Eren wasn't asking for permission anymore, seemed just barely able to contain himself at all most of the time, and though Levi really should give him a good punch to the gut, he didn't mind it.

He _really_ didn't mind it.

Levi wasn't entirely unaware that Eren had brazenly disregarded any and all boundaries he had ever tried to construct. But he had been the one to let Eren past them without much struggle at all and now he found himself being physically dragged backwards and towards the living room. Feeling like he weighed about nothing at all when Eren picked him up, Levi was effortlessly thrown down on the couch. It wasn't violent per say, though it was a tad aggressive, and the golden haze was back in Eren's eyes. It shot right into Levi and he barely managed to swallow the growl lingering in his throat in answer to that burning stare.

Shit, he was losing it.

Levi grabbed Eren's jaw to stop the alpha as he moved in with all intents and purposes to pin down and kiss him where he lay sprawled on the couch. Despite his skin itching with the need to feel Eren's touch, Levi snarled a warning, “calm down.”

There was a flash of heat in Eren's eyes as he nearly gave in to the challenge. A suppressed and needy part of Levi really wished that he had, but the alpha drew back and shook himself lightly.

“Sorry,” Eren smiled, less regretful and hesitant for each time he dipped deeper into his desires.

Levi let go of Eren's jaw and used the now free hand to brush through his own hair a couple of times to calm himself down. It really didn't take much to get him riled up. Just a demanding touch, a searing kiss, the scent of stormy seas- Levi groaned and rolled over towards the back of the couch, drawing his knees up to his chest. What was even happening to him?

A warm hand came to rest on Levi's hip.

“Levi- I'm sorry!” Eren's voice sounded a whole lot more concerned, near panicky in fact, and Levi just wanted to explain that it was _alright_.

But how could he say the words if he couldn't even think the thoughts right?

“Don't stress it,” Levi eventually sighed and rolled back around to look at Eren. The alpha's fangs were pushing at his bottom lip in the way that had him looking disarmingly cute.

“I _am_ though, it's like-” Eren began what Levi was sure would become more word vomit. Words that didn't really matter, either way. He interrupted him by sitting up and catching his fumbling lips with his own. Eren seemed more than willing to shut up with a gratified, “ _oh-uhmm_.”

The unsuspecting kiss turned sloppy, turned heated, turned devouring and Levi was gasping for air. He could feel the pulse thumping in his abused lips and he just wanted _more_. He was burning up and he wanted to cry with the pain, but Eren's hands felt like water on his scorched skin.

He was losing his _damned mind_.

With a great, shuddering gasp, Levi managed to pull away and placed a hand over Eren's mouth as he tried to realign some semblance of coherent thought.

“It's too fucking hot in here,” Levi groaned and pulled at his shirt that was plastered to his back with sweat.

Getting up, Levi stumbled only slightly while making his way towards the windows to throw them open. The sounds of tittering birds and someone mowing the lawn further down the street filtered in and eased up the heavy tension. Levi leaned on the sill and took several deep breaths. He didn't even know why he was still fighting it at this point. They both wanted it, that much was clear.

At the sound of rummaging and loud thumps, Levi turned to find Eren pulling a laptop and several books out of his backpack. His face was still flushed and eyes glinted a faint yellow, but he seemed intent on his task.

“Hope you don't mind if I work a bit on my thesis proposal?” Eren asked and peered over at Levi inquiringly. “I am lagging behind and my professor is riding me about it.”

Ah, Levi had forgotten about Eren's university paper. It seemed like it was a big deal.

“That's fine,” Levi nodded, “do you want something to drink?”

“A soft drink would be nice,” Eren called after him and Levi grunted in affirmative.

Levi's muscles felt taut and jittery when he moved, like they were preparing for something his brain had yet to catch up with. In the kitchen he opened the freezer to get some ice and audibly sighed in pleasure when the cool air wafted over him. Taking an ice cube he brought it to the skin of his neck, trailing it across his jugular veins to cool down the blood flowing to his brain. Summer had arrived with a blast of heat, but this was something else. Eren was doing something to him. If he could just gather his thoughts long enough to _think_ -

Levi brought the already melting ice cube to his still swollen lips and sucked on the cold water before popping the entire thing into his mouth. It was a bit too big and he had to juggle it around with his tongue, relishing in how it numbed and cooled down the heated flesh and muscle in his mouth.

Feeling somewhat more aligned with himself, Levi got the drinks that he came for and returned to the living room where Eren was already engrossed in typing something on his laptop. There were several books lying strewn across the coffee table and once Levi had put their drinks down (neatly on coasters _Hange)_ , he picked one of them up.

_Omega history: a reader_ declared the title with a crudely executed drawing of a small human with reptillian eyes next to an overly large human with bird wings. Levi's eyebrows quirked curiously. This seemed more like Hange's type of thing than Eren's. Looking through all the books on the table revealed that they all in one way or another pertained to predominantly omega dynamic, biology and history.

“This is for your thesis thing?” Levi asked and opened one of them. There were some pictures of omegas in various states of undress. They were all clinical pictures of posture and build, some pictures zoomed in on eyes with elliptical pupils, claws, ears or fangs.

The text under a pair of eyes read: _“Pictured above: an omega after receiving electrical shock. Unlike their alpha counterpart, the eyes of the omega tend to only enhance under extreme stress or lust.”_

“What the fuck?” Levi questioned and showed the picture to Eren who glanced at it. When Eren saw the picture his scent turned markedly bitter.

“That's an outdated physiology book on omega written by a _no dym_ ,” Eren sighed. “I borrowed it from the library because every fucking bibliography I've searched through so far cites it.”

Against his better judgement, Levi continued to leaf through the pages. He stopped at a picture of a small woman standing at the edge of a steep slope. Behind her stood an alpha, their sharp ears and tall stature the giveaway in an otherwise so dreary black and white photo. The short text simply read: _“Pictured to the right: an omega female obeying the orders of an alpha even if the result can be fatal.”_

“Why are you reading this shit?” Levi asked, slamming the book shut and throwing it back onto the table.

Eren sat leaning back on the couch, his legs crossed underneath him and laptop resting on his thighs. He had an arm draped over the backrest and sat chewing on one of his fingernails in thought.

“I'm thinking of writing my thesis onthe chemical nature of omega genes and the mechanisms that might have altered certain developments in their physiology,” Eren explained while he pulled at his lip, brow furrowed deep in thought. “Though it leans more towards molecular genetics rather than biochemistry, so I hope my professor will approve of it. She hasn't been opposed to cross disciplinary work so far so-”

Catching Levi's look of deep uninterested, Eren laughed a bit at himself and turned back to the screen of his laptop.

“I just wanna know more,” he excused himself, waving his hand towards all the books, “everything I've read so far does not... really correlate with the reality I've found.”

“You don't think I match the description of the omega in your book, so you want to figure out why?” Levi deadpanned.

“You make it sound really bad,” Eren snorted, “it's more that there's just so much weird and contradictory information out there- did you know, for instance, that the popular _no dym_ theory right now is that omega don't actually have to obey alpha commands? That it is all psychological- a sort of placebo?”

Levi could feel his lip curl into a sneer at the mere thought of _no dyms_ walking around being that fucking stupid.

“What does it feel like, anyway?” Eren asked, sounding nearly breathless.

“Did you and Hange somehow switch places or what is this?” Levi grunted, getting up from the couch to stretch his legs. So much sitting was tiring him out. He had been tired a lot lately.

Eren's line of questioning echoed eerily the ones Levi had answered so many times the past few weeks. Levi was just moments away from pouring gasoline over them and set them on fire to give them a small inkling of what it felt like. But Eren was looking at him so earnestly, Levi supposed he could find it in him to rummage for the words once again.

“It feels like... burning. It starts in the nape of the neck-” Levi tapped the area in question, “-and then it flares through every nerve in my body. If I resist, it begins to seep through the tendons and muscles and into my bones, but if I obey it is more akin to sitting under a very warm blanket.”

Eren's attention was rapt as he spoke, soaking in every word, his head tilted in an effort to understand.

“What happens if someone issues a command you cannot physically follow?” Eren wondered, “like if someone commanded you to love them?”

“Hm,” Levi thought the question through, his eyes once again drawn to the clear, blue sky outside.

Hange had been wondering something of the same. They had tried out various scenarios, like what would happen if he was ordered to breathe and hold his breath at the same time. Zackley had just been too fucking happy to be the alpha issuing the commands during Hange's little research. Apparently it had been very interesting to learn that Levi's body opted to follow the command of least resistance. In other words, Levi had been breathing just fine.

“Depends on the omega and the alpha I suppose,” Levi concluded after some thought. “If the alpha is powerful enough then maybe, though I don't think it would be true love. More like the body simulating the reactions of being in love, such as heart palpitations and so on.”

Levi conventiently opted not to add that command-words such as _adhere_ and _worship_ , both being wholly physical reactions, would see a better result.

“Huh.” Eren let his hands idly stroke across the keyboard of the laptop as he stared ahead of himself. “Giving a command feels like... telling the truth,” Eren said, his eyes glazed and brow furrowed, “like finding a state of the world in my mind and making it into reality through words- does that even make any sense?”

The word of the alpha as the catalyst and the omega's body the effect. It made as much sense as anything else, Levi supposed.

They spent the early afternoon lazing around doing nothing much and it reminded Levi of their first two weeks living together. It was peaceful. Eren sat ostensibly working on his thesis proposal while Levi played a bit on his hand console, but most of the time Eren would just inch closer to Levi and steal a kiss or a touch. Every time Levi would pretend to be annoyed and shove the alpha away with a scathing remark that only made Eren laugh.

Having been interrupted for the umpteenth time and consequently failed the level, _again_ , Levi was at the end of his patience. Still, he was feeling oddly lenient and so instead of putting Eren in his place once and for all, he turned the console off.

“Weren't you supposed to work on your thesis because your professor was being an ass about it?” Levi reminded Eren who had pounced the moment he realised Levi was free.

“But you smell so good,” Eren murmured, his nose already in Levi's neck.

“So, if you flunk your paper and your professor asks you “ _Eren, you tall fucker, why are you such a waste of space in my classroom?_ ” will you then reply with “ _you see professor, I was busy smelling this guy-_ ””

Eren was already laughing before Levi was done talking, tickling him and making it hard to concentrate. His own hand had wandered by itself up to clutch at Eren's broad shoulder and absentmindedly massaged the tendon there.

“Professor Brzenska don't typically address me as tall fucker,” Eren snorted, but finally withdrew a little, leaning the bulk of his weight on the back of the couch rather than on Levi. “But she'll probably get pretty pissed.”

Eren twirled strands of Levi's hair around his fingers and tugged lightly now and again. Despite their close proximity his eyes were a clear turquoise. It was... nice.

“I've been meaning to ask you something,” Eren started, but instead of continuing on to said question, he lapsed into a long silence. Levi waited for whatever it was, not really minding the pause since Eren continued fiddling with his hair all the while. He'd never known just how much he enjoyed such ministrations and he struggled to keep his eyes from fluttering shut in pleasure.

“Alright, I don't know how I'm gonna ask this in a diplomatic way, so I'm just gonna go out and say it,” Eren suddenly declared before taking a breath. “Were you and Kenny, you know-” Eren tried to convey what ' _you know_ ' meant by rolling his available hand in a gesture.

“Were we what?” Levi prompted deadpan. Whatever it was Eren was trying to say he could very well say it. Levi had expected Eren to ask about Kenny in particular at one point or another, so it didn't really come as a surprise even if it was unwelcome.

“Were you like... fucking?” Eren finally asked and stared very hard at the black strands of hair that he was playing with. “Were you together like that?”

Levi sat completely still, letting the question sink in because- _what_? To in any way, shape or form be put in a place where he had to associate Kenny, _Kenny_ for fuck's sake, with- _no_.

The only sound to emerge from Levi was a somewhat strangled gurgle. It had Eren's attention snapping back to his face and his blue eyes grew wider at what he saw.

“Was that too private a question?” Eren blurted. “I didn't mean to pry into anything, it's just uh, I've been curious and-”

“No we weren't fucking,” Levi finally gasped, feeling like his brain was going into a mental overload at the mere suggestion, “he's my uncle, for fuck's sake!”

“Your uncle?” Eren echoed, astonished. That had him, if possible, looking even more floored. “You're related to Kenny the Ripper?”

In his shock, Eren sat up but forgot to let go of Levi's hair as he did so, nearly tugging the tuft of hair right out off his scalp. Eren was beyond either noticing or caring. “You're related to Kenny the Ripper, _THE_ Kenny the Ripper? The guy who killed an entire clan single handedly?”

Rubbing at his scalp, Levi ' _tsk_ 'ed and rolled his eyes. Wouldn't Kenny just love hearing himself spoken of like that, the smug bastard.

“Yeah, I guess,” Levi grunted.

“Is it true, then?” Eren asked, his face nearly touching Levi's in his excitement. Levi placed his hand on the offending face and pushed him back.

“Is _what_ true?”

“That Kenny killed an entire clan on his own?”

Eren's expression was enraptured and Levi supposed it made sense that he would be curious considering the ramifications the events of that night had had. Levi contemplated whether to answer or to just shut down the entire conversation, but he couldn't deny that Eren's animated expression tickled him. Just a little.

“He killed them, yeah,” Levi revealed, looking at Eren from the corner of his eye.

“Did he tell you about it?” Eren prompted as if on cue.

“No.” They had all been gutted like pigs. “I was there.”

“Huh?” Eren's excitement faltered as the meaning of the words sank in. His mouth opened then shut wordlessly and he tilted his head again in an unvoiced question mark. The stories of what happened the night Kenny the Ripper annihilated a rivalling clan had never featured the seemingly random omega Eren had taken with him home, Levi supposed.

Leaning his elbows on his thighs, Levi steepled his fingers and frowned. It was personal, very personal, and he'd never told this story before to anyone, so he didn't quite know which words would fit it best. But then again, Eren tended to be patient with that kind of thing.

“The Lovof clan kidnapped Kuchel, my mother, and for obvious reasons that ticked Kenny off,” Levi hummed in thought, “so he grabbed me and we went to get her. Unfortunately, we were too late because Kuchel really wasn't the type to wait for anything,” Levi couldn't help but smile a crooked smile, “-certainly not for any _rescue_.” It was a seldom remembered memory and Levi stopped for a moment to contemplate it. He should remember it more often, he thought, for her sake- she truly had outdone herself. “Anyway, when we got there she had already slaughtered a good amount of them, but was overpowered and killed in the end. We just took care of the rest.”

Kenny had picked Levi up after school that day and they had slipped in on the Lovof turf under the cover of darkness. Back then, before the Clan Wars, there were no heavily guarded and reinforced gates to get through. It had been so easy. Levi was near to invisible covered in his black scales as he quietly crawled up on the unsuspecting prey and slit their throats. Kenny, well Kenny loved noise. The blasts from dynamite and guns had rattled through the walls and Levi had just followed his deranged laughter until they found her. It had been quiet then. She was lying in a literal pool of blood and very little of it was her own. Kuchel would rather go down fighting than submitting to the ignominy of belonging to any alpha.

That was the night Kenny took Levi to the Ackerman turf to stay. The next morning the destruction of the Lovof clan had been all over the news, the following week skirmishes all around Trost turned into massacres. Then the War broke out. Levi had been fourteen.

If Levi had expected mortification or horror on Eren's face he would have been sorely disappointed, because all he found was the familiar fire.

“Fighting is in your blood, then,” Eren smiled carefully, maybe hopefully.

“I guess it is,” Levi conceded.

The silence between them became delicate, if not strained, for the first time in their turbulent acquaintance. Unspoken words went between them, communicated instead in flickering eyes, glinting fangs and eventually touch. Once their skin connected, Levi felt that echoing power in Eren. There were no words that Levi knew that could describe it, but it held the same essence as his own. Maybe less refined and experienced, but the same. He should have stayed the fuck away from it, but it was quickly becoming too late. Maybe it had been too late from the very beginning.

Eren was the one to close the small distance between them, leaning in and gently placing his lips on the sensitive spot behind Levi's ear.

Charming fucker who just smelled so good- who the fuck had given him the right to smell so good, anyway? And feel so wonderful... Goosebumps tickled the entirety of Levi's body and his mind drifted away, melting into the sensation of those soft lips on his skin. Eren's hand had somehow found its way under Levi's shirt without him noticing, trailing a gentle and ticklish path up his side and across his back. Every part that Eren touched blazed alive. It was nearly unbearable.

Swiftly Levi had Eren's hand in a grip and pinned to the backrest of the couch. He followed the momentum by straddling Eren's lap and rendering his other arm just as useless as the first.

“You're sure getting handsy, alpha,” Levi growled into Eren's face, reinforcing his grip when Eren tested his strength by pulling at his arms to free them.

Unable to wrestle his way to freedom, Eren's mouth opened into a surprised, “ _wha_ -” but quickly quirked into a devious smile and his eyes glittered in promising gold.

Then those red lips were kissing him and Levi didn't give a flying fuck anymore. Resting his weight on the arms he had pinned down, Levi bore down on Eren's mouth with all the hunger that was wrecking his body. This need that had erupted in him that he was unable to quench was not about to burn out of fuel any time soon. Kisses, even the hungry, desperate ones, were quickly not becoming enough. Levi knew he was pushing against Eren, seeking friction and heat, wanting to go beyond the limits of their skin.

Pulling back, Levi stared into those hazed, golden eyes and knew that his were shining likewise.

“Want to know something funny?” Eren whispered, his lips so close that Levi could feel them brush against his when he spoke. Levi tilted his head, not trusting himself to speak just yet and Eren continued, his voice tinted with the affect of command, “ _I adore you_.”

The words bypassed every attempt at deflection and pierced right into Levi, forcing themselves to become important. To matter.

Stunned into inactivity, it was easy for Eren to flip them over. Levi's back hit the couch with Eren on top of him and their hold reversed, Eren pinning Levi's arms down just above his head. Perhaps he should have minded, but Levi was more concerned with the words spoken.

“How can you say that,” Levi objected, “you don't even-”

“Know you?” Eren interrupted. Easing his hold, Eren moved his hands to encase Levi's and entwined their fingers. The current, never really gone, surged between them and prickled the sensitive skin of his palm like warm droplets of rain. “Don't I?”

Levi turned his head to look at their clasped hands. It was easier than taking in the many impressions Eren's earnest face gave him. The motion bared his neck, he knew, but... he didn't care. Wanted it. Maybe.

Everything was quiet within him, like the moment between seeing the lightening and hearing the thunder. He remembered his first meeting with Eren. It felt like it happened a lifetime ago to someone else and only yesterday at the same time. He remembered the tiny, rebellious wish he had made; that maybe this one would be the last, that perhaps this one had what it took.

Was it _this_ he had wished for?

Levi gazed up at Eren then. It demanded more than crushing a rogue alpha with his bare hands. Felt more vulnerable than when strangers pinned him to the floor, eager to claim him. Because this was all his choice. No one had put him here, he had come willingly nearly every step of the way.

He looked into Eren's eyes and gave one, single nod. Eren must have been waiting, expecting perhaps a rebuttal, because his breath was released in a huff of relieved laughter. Dipping his head down, Eren trailed kisses down Levi's jaw and throat, his long, dark hair falling into Levi's face and tickling him.

“Though don't fucking interrupt me again,” Levi declared.

He could feel Eren laugh into his neck, hot breath brushing across already heated skin.

“Sorry,” Eren mumbled in reply and Levi sighed. He had a feeling he'd be hearing that word a lot in their time together.

Levi tipped his chin up further, baring his throat to Eren who licked at his sweaty skin. He was rewarded with the rise of Eren's scent, muskier and more dominant than he was used to, and Levi burrowed his nose into the long hair and gave up any pretence that this wasn't exactly what he wanted.

The two weeks in which he had not seen Eren had been heavier than he'd like to admit. The first few days had been the worst, the anger he felt had nearly been unbearable in his inability to channel it anywhere. He had fucking _known_ that giving in to Eren would lead to nothing but pain and he had been right. Eren wasn't dropping by, wasn't showing himself in any capacity, not even leaving a note, and Levi had been confused because he had given the alpha what he assumed it was that he wanted.

But the interest had been snuffed out regardless, or so he thought, and Levi had been fucking pissed. Pissed at himself, mostly, but that anger soon found other targets as well. Hange, who unfortunately was always there considering it was their house, Erwin, who insisted on dropping by nearly every day, and Mike who just wouldn't fuck off no matter how many times Levi told him to. The only bearable person had been Nana who just showed up with alcohol and something edible and shut her trap. Betas were clever like that.

Perhaps he should have realised sooner than he did that Erwin had his part to play in all of it.

But Levi pushed that away from himself, boxed it up and focused on the feel and scent of Eren, his kisses tinged with teeth, his hands that had wandered down and under Levi's shirt again, how Eren's loose sweatpants did absolutely nothing to hide his erection.

Carding his hands into Eren's hair, he pulled at it until the wandering mouth came back up to lock onto his again. Wrapping one leg around Eren's hips, Levi met his movements, letting him know that yeah- they were feeling the same thing.

The hand Eren was using to explore Levi's chest and stomach roamed downwards to grope his ass and held him in place as hegrinded their clothed erections together, granting delicious friction. Levi groaned into their kiss and tensed. It had been so long since he felt this good.

Levi's reaction unraveled any inhibition Eren must have had. With a low growl that was more of a rumbling sounds in his chest, he pulled Levi's t-shirt up as far as it went without ripping it clean off. Eren's tongue was hot, even against Levi's heated skin, and he trailed a long, wet line across his chest before sucking an already hardening nipple into his mouth. The sensation of the alpha's hungry ministrations on his body coupled with the greedy abandon he was doing it with had Levi arching his back underneath him. The tip of Eren's tongue played with the nipple before he grazed his teeth lightly against the overly sensitive skin. Flaring nerves tightened in Levi's stomach and his dick twitched painfully against the fabric of his jeans.

Perhaps he should have felt a modicum of shame for the way he was reacting, but the obvious pleasure Eren was taking in it had the idea evaporate right out of his clouded mind.

Eren trailed scorching kisses all down his abdomen, stopping right above the lining of Levi's jeans and nuzzled his nose into the dark trail of hair. The last time Levi had seen him this engaged in his body, Eren's eyes had been glowing red and it had been a touch and go whether he'd leave the encoutner alive. Maybe that memory should disturb him more than it did, but at that moment, looking down at Eren grinning mischievously up at him, Levi's mind was blissfully silent for once.

“Can I blow you?” Eren asked, his voice raw and husky.

Just the words had Levi throw his head back and shakily breathe out a moan, “yeah.”

The word wasn't even properly out of his mouth before he felt a tug on his jeans and they were pulled down.

Feeling cool air touch the hot and sensitive skin of his straining cock together with the wonderful removal of restrictive clothing was more than enough to leave Levi twitching. When Eren's plush lips then pressed wet and sloppy kisses all over it, Levi couldn't help but bite down on his hand hard in order to keep the worst of the sounds choked down.

Eren grabbed the base of Levi's cock in his hand and pumped him a couple of times, giving Levi some time to adjust to all the sensations. At some point he had closed his eyes in bliss and now he opened them again, regarding Eren almost thoughtfully as he worked on him. Eren's eyes had gone completely golden, glittering with hungry excitement. He seemed fully mesmerized with the task at hand.

Pulling the foreskin carefully down, Eren touched his lips to the glistening head and dipped the tip of his tongue into the slit to lap up the few droplets of pre-cum. Levi knew already then that he wouldn't be able to last long.

With a low hum of interest in his throat, Eren enveloped the gland in the warm wetness of his mouth and sucked lightly, putting pressure on the underside of it with his tongue. The tightness had Levi gasp several times- it felt so right. Eren's long hair fell forward to obscure his face and Levi gathered it up in his own hands to allow himself a better view.

Eren's eyebrows were drawn into a mild expression of concentration and a flush stained his cheeks and ears. When he began bobbing his head slowly up and down, Levi watched with rapt attention as his cock slid in and out between those red, wonderful lips.

No, he really wouldn't be able to last. Levi massaged Eren's scalp to try and release some of the rapidly building tension in his body, but it only made Eren hum in delight and the vibrations had his balls pull up tight.

The constriction of Eren's throat swallowing around the gland, his tongue working the underside of his cock and his hand gripping tightly around the base was quickly becoming too much.

And then there was the heavy, pleased sent of his alpha all around him.

“Eren, I'm close,” Levi gasped. The warning only encouraged Eren, who worked him even further down his throat.

The orgasm took him in waves. The heat tightened in his groin and raced up his spine, snagged at his skull as he threw it back with his mouth open and gasping, letting out a deep moan that ended in a laugh of incredulity. His toes curled and his hands spasmed in Eren's hair, holding him in place as he shot his load down his throat. Eren swallowed eagerly, only coughing a bit as the cum filled his mouth quicker than he could get it down.

When Levi's muscles finally slacked from the tremors it felt like all the tension, all the anxiety and build up from the last few weeks all but melted away. He felt completely relaxed.

Eren rested his head on Levi's stomach and looked up at him with an expression of warmth, a pleased smile curving his beautiful mouth.

“That sounded like it was pretty good, huh,” he commented, voice slightly hoarse.

“It was okay,” Levi teased, his own lips curling in an imitation of Eren's indolent expression.

“Just ' _okay_ '- listen to this asshole,” Eren huffed in pretended insult before blowing a wet raspberry on Levi's stomach. It tickled something awful, but Levi's muscles were too much like jelly for him to bother to react on it. He swatted at the back of Eren's head in mild rebuke.

Eren kissed his way up Levi's stomach and chest to nibble at his neck and jaw. With a roll of his hips he reminded Levi in no uncertain terms that his predicament was very much still there. Slipping his hand under the waistband of Eren's sweats, Levi grabbed a hold of his ass and kneaded it. The firm muscle and warm and slightly perspiring skin ignited the heat in Levi's body all over again an he eagerly met Eren's thrusts. His gland was overly sensitive where it lay trapped between them, yet he was somehow already growing hard again.

Levi was baffled at his body's ready reply to Eren's, unfamiliar as he had grown with associating sex with anything but work.

Reaching further down and twisting his arm between them, Levi brushed his fingertips against the head of Eren's cock and felt him startle into a groan above him. Eren's lips had fastened on his neck where they sucked and bit lightly, probably going to leave one hell of a mark. Eren was already wet with pre-cum and his cock pulsed thick and heavy in Levi's hand when he squeezed it carefully.

“D'you think we could, like, go upstairs?” Eren all but moaned into Levi's neck and freely bucked into his hand without shame.

Levi only needed to think about that for half a second. Being with Eren was quickly becoming the one and only consuming thought in his mind. He was aching with the need to feel him, _fully_. To be pinned down, filled up and come undone underneath his alpha. It was such a primal need he felt devoured by it and surrounded as he was by Eren's scent he welcomed it. Wanted to drown in it. Levi needed Eren in a way he had not needed anyone in a very, _very_ long time.

But something was scraping at the edges of his consciousness insistently. A familiar sound he couldn't quite place in his haze. It relentlessly brought him out of his head space and back into their current predicament on Hange's couch. The sound repeated itself and it became startlingly clear what it was: crunching of gravel under shoes.

“What time is it?” Levi hissed, twisting underneath Eren who had all but draped his considerable size over him.

“Uh?” Eren mumbled, his own glazed expression sharpening as he too, heard it. Fumbling around on the table, he found his phone and stared at it. “A bit after five.”

“Fuck,” Levi wheezed just as the unmistakable sound of the entrance door being opened and voices filtering in. Hange never locked that fucking door- it could have bought them seconds more.

The couch they were lying on was mostly visible from the hallway if a person specifically looked in that direction and Levi grabbed a hold of Eren's head, shoving him down hoping that if they lay absolutely still, Hange and the rest would move right past.

But no such luck.

“Nah, it's fine-” Hange said to someone else out in the hallway.

Eren and Levi's eyes locked and Levi was becoming awfully conscious of the fact that his jeans were down around his knees and his t-shirt was pushed up under his armpits. At least Eren was somewhat dressed, even if his erection was still pulsing against Levi's thighs.

“Whose laptop is that?” Hange's voice queried, sounding awfully close. “I can't remembe- _oh_.”

Eren's hold around Levi tightened painfully as Levi forced himself to look up and right into Hange's startled face. Their eyes nearly bulged behind their glasses and a bright redness shot up from their neckline and all the way up to the root of their messy hair. Levi opened his mouth to say something, anything, but Hange had already turned around and made a hasty retreat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone once again for your continued support! ❤


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“You should tell him, you know,” Hange declared abruptly, “he has to know.”_
> 
> _“And then what?” Levi spat. “He'd just give up this entire thing and leave me alone, is that what you think?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick reprieve from that cliffhanger! As always I hope you are all well and that you take care of yourselves 💖 Thank you all for your continuous, kind and wonderful feedback. 
> 
> Now- *whispers* please trust me..
> 
> Music: [Glass Skin - Dir en grey](https://open.spotify.com/track/5jd3WESQxtPEdq6Fuq1da4?si=bddS8Z7_T0SqkyDQM-UJew)

From where he was lying, Levi could hear a dull thud and the sound of the living room door creaking in protest as it slowly closed.

“You guys take all that into the kitchen,” Hange nearly hollered to the people remaining in the hallway, “and be quiet about it, I think Levi is taking a nap!”

“You're the one who is yelling,” Erwin chided in return. The dulcet tone of his voice had Eren's hold around Levi tightening. Levi met the alpha's dangerously glowing eyes and scowled in a mute but stern warning that he better not fucking try anything.

Out in the hallway, Hange was still doing their best to keep the two other alphas distracted. “I can't carry all this on my own and you're both literally ten times stronger than me,” Hange hassled them.

The strain in Hange's voice made it painfully apparent that they were aware of what kind of situation they were in, or more specifically, who they were trapped in between. Levi hoped that Hange would just shut the fuck up, though he was at the same time grateful for their quick intervention. No matter how you looked at it, no matter how reasonable Erwin could be, Levi had never known an alpha to be anything but furious at finding the omega he was courting in a compromising position with someone else. Slowly coming down from the high he'd just been in, Levi felt frustration and anger surge in to fill the space.

There were more thuds together with the sound of heavy footfalls disappearing further into the house and Levi took the risk of peering over the armrest of the couch. The door hadn't been fully closed, but it obscured any direct view in from the hallway. At the same moment Eren inhaled sharply and Levi slapped his hand none too gently over his mouth to pre-emptively silence him. There had only been one set of footsteps and though their own scents obscured most of anything else, Levi was certain he could smell tangy citrus.

“ _Hange_ -” Mike's deep voice growled in warning and even if it would do shit all, Levi found himself curling back down on the couch next to Eren who was wired so tight, Levi feared he'd spring up and into action at any moment.

“Mike,” Hange replied calmly, but with a hard edge to their voice.

There were no more words spoken between the alpha and the second in command, but Levi held his breath as he piqued his ears trying to read whatever he could from the muffled sounds from the other side of the door. He could easily imagine what kind of stare-down was going on out there. Mike might appear slow on the uptake sometimes, but nothing went past that nose of his and Levi swore internally. _Fuck_ , there was no way he didn't know.

Eventually, after what felt like aeons, the shadows in the hallway moved and the floorboard creaked under the weight of Mike disappearing after Erwin into the kitchen and dining area. There was no time to lose, Levi needed to get Eren out of the house because there were little doubt in his mind that Mike would tell Erwin.

Eren had yet to let go of his tight hold around Levi- what Eren's mind knew to be the right course of action and what he could force his body to do when all his alpha instincts were blaring didn't necessarily correlate. Heart thumping with the onslaught of adrenaline, Levi did the hard work and got up from the couch to hastily pull up his jeans.

Eren was still not getting up and when Levi gazed down on him, he found his alpha lying there looking both flustered and livid. Flushed cheeks against tanned skin, dark hair messy and tangled after Levi's ministrations and his scent alluring even in its aggressiveness. Levi was so close to just say fuck it and get right back to what they had been doing, but he knew every second was crucial. Instead he began stuffing Eren's books and laptop back into his backpack, occasionally throwing a look over to door to make sure no one was coming back that way.

“Come on,” Levi whispered, taking the backpack and indicating for Eren to follow. When Eren didn't immediately do as instructed, Levi felt the last threads of his patience snap. Gripping the front of Eren's shirt, he hoisted the alpha with brute force up from the couch. “Get a move on,” he hissed into Eren's face, “people are putting their asses on the line for you.”

The harsh rebuttal finally snapped the stupefied tension Eren was caught in and his attention moved from the door to focus fully on Levi, feral rage written clear in all of his features. Perhaps Levi should have shied away from the sharply toothed snarl, but all it did was pour gasoline on the already fiercely burning fire in him. They were both backed up against an edge and there were nowhere to direct the frustration but at each other.

But Levi wasn't about to watch Erwin rip Eren apart, he would not involve Hange in something like that and knew from experience what kind of strain that would put on a clan. Levi also knew Eren didn't want that either, not really, even if the claws now digging into Levi's skin called for some type of violence. Levi could easily return it and he felt no fear, but something else was calling to him and for once he listened.

Inclining his neck, Levi rested his forehead against Eren's shoulder. They probably didn't have the time for this, but there was a yearning in him that no threat, not even an angered Clan Alpha, could stop him from indulging. The small, silent movement of submission was all that was needed for the anger to seep out of Eren and the claws turned into an embrace.

“I'm sorry,” Eren sighed, “you're right. Of course.”

They made it to the conservatory without being noticed by the two other alphas who both had a greater claim to the space than either Levi or Eren, but still felt like intruders. If it had Levi's hackles raised then he could only imagine what it felt like to Eren. He leaned up against the frame of the doorway and watched while Eren hefted his backpack. The sky was a deep, gunmetal blue without a cloud and the sun promised a scorching summer. The already dry air that left everything so flammable reverberated with something inside of Levi. There was an unrest in him, a sense of change to come and he yearned for it. It was time to see how far he could go.

The touch of Eren's hand recalled him to the present as it cupped his cheek and turned his face up to meet him in a kiss that were more teeth than lips.

“You know I won't be able to let you go, right,” Eren whispered. “It's not really a choice anymore.”

“I know,” Levi acknowledge with a small nod. “Trust me.”

Eren searched for something in Levi's face for longer than Levi suspected they had time for, but Levi didn't really know what he found. His alpha was far more clever than he tended to give him credit for, Eren knew what Erwin was trying to accomplish in regards to Levi's position in the clan. Had probably understood it from the get go. But then he also knew Levi wasn't easily swayed.

A softness entered Eren's features as he must have reached something of the same conclusion and after a last kiss of goodbye, he disappeared down into the gardens. Levi stared after him for a while, rooted to the spot and swallowing convulsively until the sudden need to call after him stilled.

Skulking back into the chillier house, Levi opted for the servant stairs instead of risking going into the hallway. It went right by the kitchen and he could hear Mike talk to Erwin from the other side of the badly insulated walls.

“I dunno Erwin, his presence is even affecting me at this point,” Mike's low but unmistakable timbre reached Levi, who only registered it vaguely in his focus to move by silently. Erwin replied, but whatever he had to say was lost.

Finally up the stairs and entering his room, Levi wasn't in the least bit surprised to find Hange standing in the middle of the floor with their arms crossed. Gliding past them, Levi nodded briefly in acknowledgement. Hange could just as easily have tattled to Erwin, there was no need for them to risk their skin to cover for him. The unexpected loyalty had him feeling uneasy because he couldn't understand where it came from, but he was not about to throw it back in their face, either.

Hurrying into the bathroom while wrenching his t-shirt off and kicking his jeans towards the hamper basket, Levi quickly drew the shower curtains and turned on the water. Hange's quick thinking had given him some time to wash Eren's scent and that of his own arousal off himself. Levi's jaw ached with the force he was using to gnash his teeth together to try and rein in his anger and frustration. Usually Levi showered or bathed in a degree between scolding and boiling, but now he let the water run as cold as it could get before stepping under it.

“You and Eren, huh?” Hange affirmed. They had trailed into the bathroom after him and stood pushing their glasses up on top of their head while looking as close to put upon as Levi had ever seen them. Swallowing his own frustration with a sigh, Levi turned away from Hange and began rinsing out his hair. It would probably take at least two rounds of shampoo before most of the scent was gone. “Why didn't you _say_ anything, Levi?” Hange suddenly implored, their voice sounding more distraught than angry.

Having his face full of shampoo gave him some time to internally work through the implications of what Hange had just asked. Say? What was there even to say? “ _Hey Hange, Eren and I are sort of trying out being-_ ” what, exactly? What were they even trying out? Being boyfriends? Maybe.

“What do you mean?” he eventually queried in turn. Furlan would probably have teased him for being wilfully dense, but honestly? Levi found the convoluted way people talked pretty shitty most of the time.

“What I mean is- if you returned Eren's interest then why haven't you told me?” Hange sighed and walked closer, their nose nearly touching the see-through shower curtain. “It's been pretty obvious that Eren was invested in you, but everything you've told me so far has made me believe you _haven't_ been returning that interest.”

Levi stopped scrubbing at his scalp furiously, arms slowly lowering as the words sank in.

“Even when I've asked you pretty directly about your relations to him, you've just kept saying that I need to stop thinking there's anything there,” Hange groaned. “I honestly thought Eren was fixating on you and that either one or both of you were going to get seriously hurt.”

“I-” Levi began, but faltered.

It wasn't like Hange hadn't asked. They had in fact done so, over and over again and it had mostly just pissed him off because it wasn't their gods damned business. Then, when Erwin had prompted him, he'd been too chicken shit to say anything. Besides, Levi hadn't really been sure what he thought he was feeling until recently, now had he? What the fuck did they even expect of him? He didn't know them or what they intended to do.

“And what if I'd told you?” Levi challenged, “when we moved in together I'd known your annoying ass for less than two weeks- I didn't fucking know who _any_ of you bozos were.”

“Yeah, I get it...” Hange admitted, their voice barely carrying over the din of the water. “I get it _now_ , but that's a bit too late, though, isn't it?”

Levi wiped his eyes clear of water to better scowl at Hange. The delicious scent of Eren had been replaced with a bland one of store bought shampoo and he felt agitated in a way he couldn't remember ever having felt before. His chest constricted and when he tried to take a breath to clear it, it sounded traitorously close to a sob. Clenching his fists, he redirected the emotion into something he knew and recognized- his familiar anger. All he really wanted to do was punch Hange in the face and break their glasses, but even in this state he knew that Hange wasn't really his target.

Pulling his sponge out, Levi doused it generously in pine scented soap and began scrubbing, paying particular attention to his neck where Eren had been kissing and sucking. He'd have to wear a shirt with a high collar.

“You should tell him, you know,” Hange declared abruptly, “he has to know.” Hange didn't have to say Erwin's name for Levi to understand who they were talking about.

“And then what?” Levi spat. “He'd just give up this entire thing and leave me alone, is that what you think?”

The question came out sounding biting, but he was honestly curious. The past two weeks had been... confusing. Erwin had been politely insistent in a way that was difficult for Levi to find a fault in. He had been by almost daily just to _chat_ , even during the evenings when Levi didn't really feel like saying anything to him at all. There had been a bit of a scuffle in the beginning until Erwin learned to back off the moment Levi's mood soured, and even though he was still not entirely at ease around the Clan Alpha, his scales no longer rose up to protect him the moment Erwin crossed the threshold. Yet he couldn't help but keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

While in Hange and Levi's house Erwin now followed their rules even if, in reality, everything belonged to him. He would diligently take off his shoes, he'd announce his entrance and he never approached Levi in any capacity. It was working, but it hadn't really made Levi any wiser as to how Erwin would react to Levi telling him to fuck off because he was interested in another alpha. It was no secret between the five of them that Erwin was courting and if there was one thing you didn't fuck with, then it was alpha pride. At least, not if you couldn't beat it out of them.

“I don't know,” Hange answered, a string of words rarely heard from them. “To be honest I think you've turned his head a little. He's being very un-Erwiny.”

Levi couldn't help but snort at the notion and turned off the water. It would have to do. Ripping the shower curtain aside, he glared up at Hange who returned the look mildly until their eyes widened with understanding and they hurried to turn around. It wasn't like Levi was shy about his body, but he would have liked for people not to impose on him all the time.

Un-Erwiny indeed. Levi had no idea what Erwin was typically like. It was easier to gauge his mood based on how his friends reacted rather than the man himself. The atmosphere that they created was strained. Even Levi, who typically didn't care much either way, could sense the thick air between them. They kept on eyeing each other across the room, trying to calculate the other's inention and leaving the people caught in the middle waiting for the next clash between the alpha and the omega. It was really not something Levi was used to and if there was one thing he hated, then it was fucking pussy-footing around a topic. Whatever happened, happened, and he'd just have to clean it up.

“Alright,” Levi conceded, “I'll try and talk to him tonight.”

Grabbing for a pair of sweatpants and a polo shirt that he could flip the collar up on, Levi got dressed in a hurry while trying to swat Hange away from his dresser.

“I seriously can't believe you fold your socks,” Hange snorted as they rummaged around, undoing Levi's hard work, “that's so extra.”

“And I can't believe you haven't caught several deadly diseases from working in your study,” Levi growled back and pushed them out the door, “yet here we are.”

Levi wasn't even half way down the stairs when the smell of food greeted him and his stomach growled loudly. He was fucking _famished_ he suddenly realised and reason quickly made way for hunger. It didn't even matter who was in the kitchen- his resolve was boiling away into vapor. Jumping the remainder of the stairs in twos, Levi brazenly strode in to figure out exactly what was being made for dinner.

With intense focus, Levi disregarded the others and leaned over the pots on the stove to look at the food that was puttering away. Bacon, pasta, garlic- it all smelled so delicious and his mouth was watering to the point that he found himself surreptitiously wiping away saliva with his wrist.

Erwin, who had been standing there chopping lettuce by the kitchen counter, took a polite step away from him. Levi still hadn't missed how Erwin's hand had first reached out towards him before retracting quickly, even despite his preoccupation. He flashed the alpha a pointed fang to remind him of his distance.

“Ah- hi there Levi.” Erwin made the greeting with a strained cough before turning back to the greens he was preparing. “You took a shower after your nap? I hope you slept well.”

Levi grunted a half-assed reply. His attention had snagged on the carved loaf of garlic bread on the counter next to him. It had come straight from the oven and smelled delicious with the butter inside runny and hot when he picked it up. It was probably rude of him to eat before dinner, but he couldn't give less of a fuck as he chomped down on the delicious bread.

“Nice sweats you're wearing,” Mike commented from behind them. He was sitting by the table, browsing on his phone and looking mildly bored.

With dawning realisation, Levi twisted around and peered down at his own ass and yeah, “ _Kapow!_ ” stood out in garish, neon-yellow letters. Of fucking course. With a disgusted huff, Levi returned to the bread, but not before catching Erwin's eye. He had been studying the sweats as well and the corners of his mouth twitched with the effort of holding back a smile, but at least he was clever enough not to comment on it.

“Didn't know you could make food,” Levi observed, watching with fake disinterest as Erwin began moving the bacon from the pan and into the pasta, “figured you had a cook up in your big ass mansion or something.”

Erwin laughed mildly as he placed paper towels on the counter and dumped a heap of bacon on them. Levi's ears twitched. “I don't have _any_ staff hired at the moment,” Erwin revealed, “and I can obviously make my own food, Levi. Besides- this is just pasta carbonara and nothing that demand any culinary expertise as such.”

Using the spatula, Erwin shoved the bacon towards Levi. Instincts were flaring red hot throughout his entire body. A Clan Alpha was offering him food, providing, and the hunger ravaging through Levi made it hard to focus on anything else. He knew what Erwin was doing, but he also _really_ wanted that bacon.

“Isn't it a lot of work cleaning everything by yourself?” Levi wondered, hesitantly placing a finger on the paper towel and pulling it towards himself. He now had the rest of his garlic bread in one hand and the heap of bacon in front of him. It allowed him to almost disregard the fact that it was Erwin who had presented the food to him. Almost.

“I live in an apartment up in the west wing,” Erwin explained and returned to his cooking, ostensibly busy stirring the pasta that was more or less done. “I don't visit the rest of the mansion much, so it only gets cleaned quarterly as per landmark protection regulations.”

That sounded lonely to Levi who had never lived by himself and his height of privacy was having a door to close. Also, it was a huge waste of space. He voiced as much, “what's the fucking point of living there, then?”

“It's where I grew up,” Erwin shrugged as if that explained everything. “It used to be different before the walls got built though, much livelier for one.”

Looking up at Erwin whilst shoving the rest of the bread into his mouth, Levi didn't miss the twitch of Erwin's ears and the air around him was warm and charged. He supposed it to be what equated to Erwin's scent of satisfaction.

“My mother used to host parties for the other clans all the time,” Erwin continued, “it was a good way to strengthen relations between the clans- unfortunately that is all impossible now, of course.”

Bringing the clans together would surely be a success until they all decided to kill each other again, Levi thought quietly, but didn't say. Instead he busied himself with the bacon and stealthily grabbed for another piece of garlic bread- or so he thought.

“Eat as much as you want, Levi,” Erwin laughed and pointed at a stack of packaged garlic bread still resting on the counter. “I brought plenty as you can see.”

Still watching Erwin from the corner of his eye, Levi did as was suggested and pulled the entire loaf towards himself. Un-Erwiny huh? It was an interesting turn of phrase Hange had used.

Busy ripping the loaf into more easily digestible shreds, Levi wasn't expecting Erwin's sudden inquiry, “what was _your_ childhood like, Levi?”

Taken off guard, Levi glanced up at Erwin again with his cheeks swollen from all the food he had managed to cram in there. Once again an expression of constipated humour flashed across Erwin's face and Levi scowled, making the alpha quickly busy himself by turning the heat down on the stove.

The question was in line with Erwin's usual polite nattering, but Levi supposed it wouldn't hurt to answer it for once. Especially since his mind had been returning to Kuchel a lot as of late. Chewing slowly, he tried to summon the few scattered memories that he had of that time. “It was nice-” he began, “I lived in a one bedroom flat with my mother, went to school, played with the neighbourhood kids... Had a green bike. It was normal.”

“Sort of hard to imagine...” Erwin mused in a measured tone of voice, his large hands moving quickly to finish with the salad.“You two weren't affiliated with a clan, then?”

Erwin was looking around himself for coasters to place the hot pots on and Levi found himself turning to help. It only made sense that he did: he had been the one to clean out all the cupboards and reorganized them after all, so he knew better than anyone where things were stored.

“No,” Levi admitted, “Kuchel didn't really believe in the concept of clans.”

“Didn't _believe_?” Mike suddenly interrupted. He had been mostly quiet, as was his habit, up until then.

Levi gave him a flat stare before pulling down the plates and handing them to Erwin.

“She was of the opinion that any type of hierarchy would always lead to the oppression of some,” Levi explained, “and inevitably that would be the minority and, of course, she wasn't wrong.”

“Certainly explains how you turned into such an anti-authoritarian little shit,” Mike shot back half-jokingly.

It was well within his usually quite snapping sense of humour and Levi barely even noted it, but Erwin's transformation from a docile alpha to Clan Alpha was instantaneous when he suddenly snarled a vicious, “ _Mike!_ ”

The larger alpha's mouth opened in stunned surprise, but no sound came out. Levi had immediately dodged away and quickly placed his clawed hands behind his back. Instincts were telling him to make himself less of a target and to submit, but he ground his teeth against it. The lightening flash of feral rage on Erwin's face was enough to remind Levi who it was that they were dealing with.

But if Erwin's aggression had been unexpected, then the reaction Levi's body was having to it was like a striking comet. A soft whimper of distress escaped him and before he could clap his hand over his mouth to stop the embarrassing sound, Erwin was by his side and Mike had stood up from his chair. Mind ablaze with what felt like a million different feelings and sensations, Levi was rooted to the spot and unable to react when Erwin placed the tips of his fingers carefully to his cheek. He wanted to melt into the warmth of that large hand and he wanted to slap it away. Levi blinked for what he thought was only a moment, but when he opened his eyes again it was to find himself nuzzling into Erwin's palm, his breath hitching heavily in his chest.

“No,” Levi gasped and jerked away, the world tilting precariously. Erwin quickly took a step back while holding his hands out in supplication.

The pheromones in the room made the air hot and stifling and Levi's reaction time felt sluggish and dull. He shook his head to try and clear it and saw Mike in his peripheral vision leaning over to open the kitchen windows, hanging his head out and breathing in deep gulps of air.

“Mike, I found some of the books Nana was looking for and- uh..” Hange's too jolly voice faltered and fell dead as they stood in the doorway into the kitchen with their arms loaded full of books.

“Uh, yes, excellent Hange... just in time for dinner as well,” Erwin said, the first to find his composure and voice. He slid a hand through his hair to right the fringe that had fallen forward into his face, and it might have been Levi's unfocused eyes, but he could have sworn Erwin's hand was shaking.

With a body still twitchy and unaligned, Levi managed to turn around and push past Hange to escape to the downstairs bathroom. Sitting down heavily on the lid of the toilet he let a long whine of frustration and anger escape him. What he wanted to do was to scream, to feel the bones of his fists connect with the bones in someone else's face. To eradicate the heavy and delicious scent of alpha with that of blood. Tearing into flesh with his teeth not to mark, but to destroy. Levi missed making his brain go numb with a good fucking fight. Less of this mating bullshit muddling up his mind, making him feel weak, desperate and dependent. This wasn't what he was made for. But try as he might, he couldn't find the silent corners of his mind. The blissful numbness escaped him.

After a good while, Levi slunk back into the kitchen to fin Hange busy trying to cover the strained atmosphere still lingering with a barrage of prattle. Mike was the first to notice his entrance and greeted him in his usual stoic manner by opening a bottle of beer as a peace offering. Levi accepted it with a nod and sat down by his empty plate next to Hange. For a brief moment he worried that Erwin would be the one to serve him, a too symbolic gesture from an alpha after what had just transpired, but thankfully Hange was quicker and shovelled garlic bread and pasta onto his plate in heaps.

While they ate Levi found himself for once grateful that both Hange and Erwin suffered from verbal diarrhoea. The tension in the room was easing as they talked about everything and nothing while Levi and Mike exchanged quiet glances of “ _how in the world can lilac borers be a topic worth spending energy on?_ ” But apparently those pesky bugs were nasty enough to warrant half an hour of complaining from Erwin. Hange had eventually suggested just setting fire to said lilacs, at which point Erwin had asked Hange very seriously if they wanted to find another place to live.

Hange had declared that no, they were fine where they were, thanks, but perhaps Erwin should ease up on his obsession with lilacs. Erwin didn't agree. The faint, pink flush on his face and bright eyes indicated that he was feeling the alcohol that kept running freely around the table. Levi was certainly feeling the same effects himself.

“Lilacs are beautiful- they appear small and delicate but they are in fact one of the more endurable olive scrubs,” Erwin explained to a wholly disinterested audience, hands gesticulating to get his point across, “their scent lure you in first, but it is when you look closer that you realise their true magnificence.”

“They're just fucking flowers,” Levi groaned while Mike nodded in agreement.

“There's nothing 'just' about them!” Erwin insisted, but finally let the gods damned topic go.

They had been done with the dinner for a while and sat around the table just talking, window wide open to let in the evening summer air, when Nanaba finally arrived. The dull thuds of her shoes being kicked off sounded in the hallway and Mike eagerly got up to greet her. Upon entering the kitchen she was all smiles as he enveloped her in a great hug, planting what had to be tickling kisses on her forehead and cheek. She received the affection with a laugh, returning it by squeezing his massive arms and pinching him in the side mischievously. The ministrations didn't seem to really have any effect on the great alpha, but he twisted around regardless, letting Nana have the illusion that she could somehow get him with such light treatments.

“Have you guys seen the news?” Nana prompted slightly breathless after she was done greeting her mate. “It's all about the Reiss clan and their recent stunt.”

Both Erwin and Hange turned in their chairs, giving the newly arrived beta their full attention. She fished out her phone and plonked down on Mike's knee like it was the most comfortable of seats while tapping away until she found what she was looking for.

“The Reiss clan just subjugated Nick's clan,” Nana elaborated and held her phone up for them all to watch the small screen and the video that was playing.

A news reporter stood in front of what had to be the remains of a clan perimeter, talking rapidly into a blue microphone: “ _earlier this evening the head of the Reiss clan, Rod Reiss, seized the power of the Nick clan by traditionally beheading what is know as the Clan Alpha-_ ” the _no dym_ reporter droned. She sounded somewhat worked up about the news she was reporting, but at the end of the day it was just a mild curiosity. It wasn't like it would change any _no dyms'_ day to day life.

“Huh,” Hange breathed, “well, I guess what we didn't want to happen, just happened, eh?”

Erwin frowned as he took Nanaba's phone to watch the rest of the broadcast. “Hm,” was all he uttered once it was done. Even Levi could think of a hundred words more suitable than _hm_.

“So, what now?” Levi wondered and the rest of the group startled. He supposed they weren't used to him speaking up unprompted. “Will there be any retaliation against the Reiss clan from the other Clan Alphas?”

Reiss had brazenly broken the Concord after all, and the _no dyms_ seemed more concerned with the novelty of it rather than keeping the rogue clan in check.

“No,” Erwin answered at length, “this has become too prolific in the non-dynamic media for us to handle internally- we'll have to wait and see what happens.”

Downing the last of his beer, Levi placed the bottle carefully on the table as he contemplated his position. Like it or no, he belonged to the Smith clan now and his expertise was theirs to command. Erwin's, more specifically.

“I can handle it,” Levi offered. He hadn't really taken on a clan on their home turf for a very long time, but his blood was boiling and he was ready for a challenge. Needed it.

Erwin's gaze bored into him and it was all Levi could do to pretend he was not affected by it. Fighting was what he did best, it was what the could give them, but if they didn't want him as such...

“Revealing our trump card is not really something I am interested in doing at this stage,” Erwin admitted and Levi swallowed his triumph. “If another clan retaliates before us then that will give us an upper hand in reading the non-dynamic government's involvement in this. It is beyond suspicious that they have not acted sooner.”

Hange, Mike and Nana nodded in agreement. It was a sound conclusion, but it left Levi feeling restless. At least Erwin seemed to understand his potential, even if he was unwilling to use him. _Yet_.

The day had been wearing on Levi more than he'd like to admit and the alcohol was making him sleepy. When Nana asked if she could eat her leftover dinner in the living room while they watched a movie, he'd been all too grateful for the reprieve.

It wasn't until they entered the said room that Levi remembered what had transpired there just a few hours earlier and a brief flare of panic rose in him. Levi quickly threw his gaze to Mike who seemed to be contemplating something, but whatever his keen alpha nose had picked up, he must have decided to stay well out of it for now. Hange quickly settled down next to Levi on the couch and Nana curled up on the other end with her plate heaped high with delicious pasta and bacon. Erwin, as per usual, picked the seat in an armchair furthest away from Levi.

“You sure let your books lie wherever, Hange,” Erwin complained, bending over to pick up said article from the floor and Levi recognized it immediately as one of Eren's books. He must have missed it when he packed up his shit in a hurry.

“Huh, that isn't mine-?” Hange began, but interrupted themself, throwing a quick glance at Levi as they did so.

“It's mine, actually,” Levi blurted, “I- uh, Zackley lent it to me.”

“Darius Zackley?” Erwin mused, his brow furrowed as he read the title of the book: _Omega history: a reader_. “Well if anyone would be particularly interested in omega it would be _him_ I suppose...” It didn't sound like it was meant as a compliment.

“I've read that one,” Nana informed them between chewing her pasta and pointing at the book with her fork, “it's actually quite good for what it does, even despite having been written by a _no dym_ no less.”

Getting up from his seat, Erwin moved over to Levi and settled down next to him on the armrest of the couch. There was a bit of a distance between them still, but the heat from the larger alpha's body radiated off him and Levi clamped down on the need to squirm in his seat at the proximity. Still, he was grateful when he felt perspiration break out on his neck and chest, hoping his own scent would be enough to mask whatever was left of him and Eren. It didn't look like Erwin had caught onto it yet, his attention was for now fully on the book he was holding.

But then again, any fluctuations in Erwin's scent, usually such a dead giveaway in any other alpha's temperament, was hard to read and Levi felt himself cornered and blind.

“What do you think of it, Levi?” Erwin asked and held the book out for Levi to reclaim. The question sounded innocent enough, but the thumb brushing against Levi's fingers when he took the proffered book was certainly not an accident. Levi barely suppressed a shiver at the touch.

“I haven't gotten around to reading much of it yet,” Levi muttered and opened it to look at what it was actually all about. Omega history written by a _no dym?_ What the fuck would a _no dym_ know about omega, anyway?

What he found surprised him. There were plenty of pictures, most of them matching the crudely drawn painting on the cover in style, but what they depicted was not at all what he had expected. Unlike the book with the detached, clinical pictures that he had looked at earlier with Eren, these were not any omega Levi had ever seen before. Most of them were impish and horned creatures that Levi thought he recognized, but not in a context that had anything to do with omega. One coloured picture in particular stood out to him, it was of a small horned creature with a tail, bound and burning on a pile of wood, its elliptical eyes shining golden.

“The witch hunts,” Hange supplied from where they sat, knowing full well that Levi had never as much as opened the book he claimed to have borrowed. He had of course heard of witches before, but it wasn't something that had ever concerned him before and now his curiosity was peaked.

“What do you think of the picture, Levi?” Erwin prompted, making Levi look up at him with distraction. Erwin's gaze held an odd shimmer of intensity and Levi tried to find an adequate reply to such a strange question.

“It's ugly,” Levi eventually answered honestly. It _was_ a really ugly picture and the creature was disgusting, though... there was something about it.

“The creature is supposed to be an omega,” Erwin revealed, most probably having caught on that Levi had no idea what they were talking about any longer. “Non-dynamics used to believe that omega were a creature they call devils, thanks to the scales I would hazard, and ended up prosecuting and hunting them during what they refer to as the witch trials or witch hunts.”

“I am sure you can imagine why the _no dym_ head of religion and state thought it was a prudent thing to encourage,” Nana said darkly.

“No...why?” Levi questioned despite knowing that he probably sounded like a moron to them. This was obviously a topic they had discussed before, but nothing about _no dyms_ and their way of thinking made any sense to him.

“The reigning theory at the time of the trials was that the decrease in omega also stopped what they called the ' _alpha aggressiveness_ '-” Erwin explained, “for with nothing to protect, they thought there would be no need for the alpha to be acting assertive. But what we stipulate truly motivated these hunts is the fact that omega are only born by omega mothers...” Erwin sighed heavily with the implication of his own words.

With no omega mothers there were no omega babies, ultimately decreasing the population for generations to come. His entire dynamic could have gone extinct if the _no dyms_ at the time had gotten their way. It also explained their relative rarity. Why had he never been taught this in school?

Levi trailed the outlines of the demonic figure with the tip of a claw, scraping a shallow rift in the paper. A vague idea was sliding slowly into place in his mind as he stared at the apparition. So like himself in fighting form, yet so much more. A monstrous illustration of what _no dyms_ imagined omega to be and the fear their own wild stories created resulting in the death of so many.

“The hunts got out of hand several places until they ran out of omega to prosecute and they began hunting their own instead,” Nana continued, wide, grey eyes looking aggrieved despite the clinical note in her voice. “ _No dyms_ who tried to help in any way were accused of fraternising with this 'devil' of theirs and were called witches- they got burned just the same, or stoned, or just hanged I suppose.”

Scowling, Levi slowly read the paragraph next to the picture, lips moving to sound out some of the unfamiliar names:

_“Archbishop Schönenberg wrote in a letter to the Vatican that he had found that the total eradication of omega in the dynamic clan of Sina had greatly reduced the ferocity and fighting spirit of the alphas. His theory of alpha power directly correlating to the presence of omega was, according to the Prince-Bishop of Trost's journal, further proven by the Trost trials and the Shiganshina trials. By the end of the dynamic hunt and the following witch trials well over five thousand, both dynamic and non-dynamic, humans had been executed in that area alone.”_

“Levi?” Erwins's querying voice roused Levi out of his deep thoughts and he looked up to indicate that he was listening, “are you perhaps dyslexic?”

It really hadn't been the question Levi expected and his eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Dyslexic is-”

“I know what fucking dyslexic is,” Levi growled, feeling vexed, “and I don't know if I am- how the fuck would I know that?”

“Of course, you probably wouldn't-” Erwin began to amend, but Levi interrupted him again.

“Doesn't fucking matter, does it?” he grumbled and shoved the book away from himself. Heat rose in his face and he knew that he had to be blushing. Further angered by his own reaction to Erwin's suggestion, he crossed his arms and glared resolutely at the television that was still on the menu of the movie.

“No it does not matter,” Erwin agreed, his voice mellow. “I was being insensitive, my apologies.”

It was just a shitty question and Levi couldn't really say why it made his stomach sour so. It was bad enough that Hange treated him with silken gloves when it came to his reading- Erwin didn't get to do that too. Fucking shitty clan with their university degrees and high flying _no dym_ jobs.

“I upset you,” Erwin declared and Levi could feel the embarrassment burn in his cheeks at the tone of his voice. He was being treated like a fucking delicate flower or some shit.

“Just shut your fucking mouth, alpha,” Levi spat in retaliation.

Erwin's displeasure went like a physical slap through the room, the air suddenly gone and leaving everyone gasping for breath. As quickly as the oppressive atmosphere had come, it disappeared again, but the taste of bile remained in the back of Levi's throat. Shooting up from the couch he was out of the living room and storming down the hallway before anyone could stop him.

Hange's voice sounded half-hearted when he heard them calling out, “Erwin, maybe don't follow him-”

But Levi knew Erwin wasn't heeding Hange's advice. Could feel the alpha more than he could hear his footfalls.

“Levi, I-” Erwin began, but broke off when Levi whirled around to face him. If the scales weren't enough of an indicator of Levi's frame of mind, then the rage marring his face must have been. Erwin stopped dead in his tracks.

“If I hear one more apology coming out of your shit mouth I swear I'll finish the job I started on you,” Levi hissed.

“I thought it went rather well tonight until- well, until just now,” Erwin offered and the corners of his mouth twisted downwards in a despondent smile.

Levi turned his gaze away in disgust and it fell on the mirror hanging in the hallway. There they stood, reflected in the half-dark and it was almost impossible to reconcile them as belonging to the same species. The contrast between the imposing alpha with hair like a halo against Levi's lithe body covered in shimmering scales was startling to a degree Levi had never considered before. Perhaps the _no dyms_ from centuries ago hadn't been so delusional in their depiction of his dynamic after all...

The world tilted sharply to the side and Levi stumbled, falling into something hard and unyielding. Shaking his head and face twisting in distaste, he could feel the electrical currents sizzling through his skull and his bare skin felt numbed.

Erwin was in his personal space, a steadying hand gripping his shoulder until he managed to regain his footing again. Shoving the hand away weakly, Levi grit his teeth at his lack of strength. Of all the times to be working up a fever.

“Don't treat me like I'm made of glass,” Levi muttered, his head still swimming, “I'm not fragile.”

“I know that Levi, I know,” Erwin assured him quietly. His hand was still there like he was afraid Levi would have a fainting spell right in front of him, but he didn't close the distance any further.

“I must have caught a cold or something,” Levi continued to explain, sounding faint and dull even to his own ears.

“Perhaps,” Erwin agreed, though he appeared hesitant.

Levi hadn't seen Erwin move, had merely blinked and somehow he was now standing mere centimetres away from him. The broad chest laboured in the thick air and when Levi flicked his gaze up he found Erwin staring at him with a carefully blank face, though the golden currents in his eyes revealed him.

Levi knew he was taking in oxygen, could feel it expand his lungs, but his head swam and the world was hazy. He wanted to shake his head again to clear the fog, but worried that he'd loose his balance once more and this time actually topple over. Or into Erwin.

“I need to talk to you.” Levi heard himself say as if his voice came from miles away. “I have something to tell you.”

Hange's advice that he needed to tell Erwin about Eren had been sound and Levi was done fucking about. Erwin had tried, Levi knew, he had tried really, really hard, but it didn't matter. And if the only reason he was granted access on the turf was to become the Clan Alpha's mate then well... It was time to cut his losses before he dug himself in too deep.

Eren wasn't going anywhere, he had said so himself, and Erwin wasn't like Kenny, was he? Eren wasn't in any real danger...

Levi's thoughts drifted through his mind- coming in and out of focus as he made his way towards the conservatory. The doors there still stood ajar and the air felt lighter, fresher, despite the heated summer evening outside.

It felt like he existed outside himself, like something else was taking over while he drifted, but he was too tired to fight it. Levi more fell than sat down on the bench located between two very dead tomato plants. The blood pumping through his neck and temple felt sluggish and thick, nearly painful as his skin expanded around the swollen vessels. He missed Eren's touch.

The lights strung around the conservatory lent a soft luminescence to Erwin's golden hair and the hunger was back in his eyes as he freely took in all of Levi. The Clan Alpha had never been shy about his intentions and, if nothing else, Levi could appreciate the forwardness. They had both tried to find some middle ground whilst around each other, though Levi doubted Erwin had ever heard the word 'no' issued towards him quite so many times before. Erwin was a born and bred Clan Alpha, his mother in the same position before him and her mother before her. He lived and breathed authority.

It was difficult to ignore.

Just as Erwin was taking him in, Levi was returning the favour. Letting his attention rest on the broad shoulders, the teasing contours of a well-shaped chest, the tapering waist and- yeah, Erwin was _interested_ alright. There was little the fine fabric of his suit trousers could do to hide that.

Brows drawing down into a frown, Levi finally managed to wrestle his gaze away and mentally berated himself. He came out here to tell Erwin something, not stare at his hardening dick.

What was it again?

Oh yes, he was supposed to tell him about Eren. Lay it out in no uncertain terms that Levi couldn't mate with Erwin because of... Eren.

With tremulous fingers, Levi brushed at his eyes in a vain hope that it would clear the fog from his mind. Distantly, faintly, he knew that being this exposed and vulnerable around an alpha was dangerous.

Unbidden, the memory of Eren's lips around his cock came to him so vividly, it nearly felt like it was happening right then. He bit back a moan with a gasp and shifted in his seat, hoping that for once that day his sudden teenage libido would stay in check.

“You wanted to tell me something?” Erwin finally prompted and leaned back in the garden chair, ostensibly casual and, while he looked composed, the charged air that came off him in waves belied it.

On his own part Levi was struggling. The suddenly stagnant heat of the evening air had him gasping and sweating and even though he had earlier applauded his body for the quick cover up of Eren's scent, he was now acutely aware of the affect it had on the Clan Alpha. Even more acutely, he was likewise affected.

A traitorous thought revealed to him all that Erwin was and all that Erwin promised: rich lands, a prosperous clan, power, recognition- normally it would be absurd to turn such an offer down. Such a suitable mate.

The string lights bobbed gently in the breeze wafting in from the garden and Levi tried his best to focus on them instead of the alpha in front of him, but the edges of his vision swam disconcertingly. He had drunk enough during dinner to feel the buzz, but not enough to get actually drunk. That was at least what he had thought. His joints and muscles felt loose and pliable and his skin tingled delightfully, his body fully ready for something his mind was not.

Abruptly, Erwin got up from his chair and moved through the liquid room to sit down next to Levi, his presence magnificent and overpowering. All Levi could do was stare up into his pale eyes and wonder with some trepidation what was happening between them. A hand big enough to nearly circumference the entire limb fell on top of Levi's thigh and Levi couldn't help but flush at the sight of it.

His head felt too heavy for his neck to carry and Levi rested it on the back of the ironwork bench they were sitting on, lips parted to better take in the air that just wouldn't reach his brain. Currents rode through his body, originating in the overly heated spot on his thigh. Only the smallest part of him was still protesting that he did not want this- that Erwin was wrong.

Nearly in a perfect opposition to Levi's pitiful attempts at holding on to the vaporous thought, Erwin leaned down and placed his lips on the side of Levi's lips. The shock of the sudden imposition had him stunned into stillness. The skin that Erwin had touched in an albeit rather innocent peck tingled and sizzled and Levi pressed at it gingerly with the pads of his fingers, but before he could even think of recovering his bearings Erwin was back, the kiss now assertive and heavy.

Levi knew he could have drowned in it. He could have fallen apart and succumbed to the currents that Erwin unleashed upon him and he probably would not have been unhappy to do so. Yet a bright, red thread pulled at him and lead him through the fog and into the state of his present body.

“Stop,” Levi demanded and recoiled at the sound of his own pleading voice.

“Levi, you-” Erwin panted and rested their foreheads together. Levi could feel the man's hot breath against his face, but his mind was just fog and he was unable to grip and hold onto a single coherent thought, merely basked in the sensation of a powerful alpha holding him.

“Levi, I believe that you are- _unh_ ,” Erwin tried again, but interrupted himself by planting several more kisses on Levi's unresisting lips before abruptly pulling away.

“Gods, I need to go,” Erwin declared, his voice gravely and his eyes such a golden hue Levi had never seen before. Before Levi managed to open his mouth to give any type of reply, Erwin had gotten up and disappeared through the archway and into the house again.

Levi was left sitting there alone, dazed and disoriented.

Time must have passed, though Levi was unable to grasp how much. A light shiver rocked his body at intervals.

“Heya there short stack,” Hange murmured from the archway. He had not noticed them where they stood with a steaming mug of what Levi assumed was tea in their hands. “Erwin left in quite a huff, huh...? I take it the conversation didn't go over too well?”

Conversation? Levi trudged through the mud in his mind and oh yes, he was supposed to talk to Erwin about Eren. But- they had kissed instead? That didn't make any sense.

Shaking his head, Levi leaned his elbows on his thighs and muttered, “it was weird.”

“What did he say?” Hange wondered.

“Uh.” Levi furrowed his brow and massaged his temples. Hange's scent was helping him focus, though he was glad they hadn't closed the distance between them. “Nothing much, really, he just left.” It was the truth, sort of.

“Are you alright?” Hange asked, “you look really flushed.”

“Yeah... _no_.” Levi's entire body shuddered despite the warmth that was at the same time boiling his skin. “I think I am coming down with a fever or something.”

“Levi-” Hange piped up in an uncharacteristically high note, their eyes windeing in sudden realisation, “-I think you might be in _heat_ , actually.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not gonna to lie though... I've been sort of dreading posting this chapter, uhm :')


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I'm not fucking mating with anybody,” he groused, “they can fuck right off, the horny dickheads.”_
> 
> _“Oh, someone is being moody,” Hange cooed and Levi wondered idly, for the umpteenth time, how pissed Erwin would be if he killed his second in command. “Well, I think it's a beautiful thing that alpha and omega bodies encourage you to fuck like rabbits to form a mating bond.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop! I am late again! Please forgive *wallows* Though I think Sundays are going to be a better day for me to update on for a while since my schedule on Fridays has changed, anyways. 
> 
> A due warning to everyone: This chapter contains an **Erwin POV** , read at you discretion and all that :) 
> 
> Love you all, take care ❤️
> 
> Music: [The Sun - Parov Stelar, Graham Candy](https://open.spotify.com/track/6Ki0WL4ssXMIHexYSSkAOt?si=dv3_XWh2T6C_qXfC4Qht6A)

**Levi**

Levi's gut reaction was to instantly deny Hange's statement. The entire notion was absurd, but the evidence was pretty clearly stacked against him.

“Fuck... maybe?” Levi rasped and finally got up from the bench to make his way into the house again and Hange visibly blanched when he got closer to them. “I haven't been in heat since I was nineteen I think, or maybe twenty?” The world was still swimming dully around him as he made his laborious journey towards the servant stairs and he just wanted to get to bed. “I didn't think it was something my body did anymore.”

“Wow-wee,” Hange breathed and wafted the air in front of their nose with a hand and backed away. “Well, even my dull nose is picking this up, so your body sure wants something- or should I say some _one?_ ”

Levi grunted and placed his foot on the first step and wondered numbly how in the world he'd conjure up the energy needed to ascend them all. Behind him, Hange was nattering on.

“It's not really all that strange that it's happening, though” Hange said, “considering how there's not just one, but _two_ , alphas sniffing around you and dousing you in their pheromones every chance they've get.”

“I've been around alpha pheromones nearly my entire life,” Levi argued, he was halfway to his goal now, “if anything I should be immune to it. I thought I was.”

“Eh...” Hange did a so-so movement with their hand as they scrunched up their face in thought. “Your situation is different now isn't it? A lot safer for one- or so I would assume... I guess if anything was to kick-start your body again it would be two fit alphas indicating the willingness to mate with you.”

Levi stared dully at Hange who had preceded him up the stairs. They were probably right, but he was feeling too feverish to really care about the implications.

“I'm not fucking mating with anybody,” he groused, “they can fuck right off, the horny dickheads.”

“Oh, someone is being moody,” Hange cooed and Levi wondered idly, for the umpteenth time, how pissed Erwin would be if he killed his second in command. “Well, I think it's a beautiful thing that alpha and omega bodies encourage you to fuck like rabbits to form a mating bond.”

The excessive saliva that Levi had been attempting to swallow got stuck in his throat and he ended up spluttering and coughing until Hange slapped him on the back none too gently.

“What the fuck was _that_?” Levi wheezed. The amount of gloating at his expense coming from the otherwise so sociable and friendly beta was surprising to his already frazzled mind.

“Huh, well Erwin has been saying you're a bad influence on me,” Hange mused. “We'll have to get you to bed so you can rest. I have a feeling this one is going to be a right doozy if you haven't been in heat for a near decade.”

Unfortunately, Hange tended to be right about these kinds of things. Now that his discomfort had been identified it just felt that much worse. Levi's joints were aching, his skin was burning, he'd been drinking glass upon glass of water the entire day, yet he felt parched. He _needed_ water. Levi had never heard of anyone dying from being in a heat before, but he wouldn't put it past himself to be the first.

Having Hange help him up the rest of the stairs was both a curse and a blessing. Their scent was comforting and their hands steadying, but the close proximity of another body had his own react in a way he certainly didn't want it to. Hange merely scoffed at it, but Levi was experiencing some very rare embarrassment only further amplified by the mental state he was quickly deteriorating into.

When he, mortified, suddenly burst into tears Hange threw their head back and laughed loudly, only spurring the involuntary action on.

“You have two strapping alphas chomping at the bits to help you out with this, you know,” Hange teased him as he fell down onto the bed, rubbing furiously at the hot tears streaming down his cheek. “I don't feel particularly bad for you.”

“You're disgusting,” Levi muttered, though the mere thought of Eren had his body going from starving him of serotonin to over producing it.

“Eh, then what's that stupid smile for then?” Hange teased him and Levi had to shove his head into the plush pillows to hide it from them.

“Just go away and leave me to die,” Levi mumbled and climbed underneath the covers. It was hot under there, but snug.

“Okay, short stack, I'll be heading out first thing in the morning to get you a few things to tide you over,” Hange placated. “I know a doctor who can hook me up with some real good sleeping pills, so hopefully you'll be able to sleep through most of it.”

That didn't sound in the least but legal, but Levi merely nodded as he was already yearning for the obliviousness of sleep.

“Anything in particular you want to eat, do you have any cravings at all?” Hange asked, stroking some matted hair away from Levi's forehead and then making a small noise of disgust as they wiped their hand off on the duvet.

“Uhm, donuts and... fries, maybe those uh, crunchy chicken things?” Levi tried to make the shape of those things he had eaten together with Eren with his fingers, but it could really be interpreted as anything. Thankfully, Hange caught right on.

“Chicken nuggets?” Hange hazarded and nodded, “lots of greasy, fatty foods coming right up!”

Getting up from the bed, Hange walked over to one of the windows and threw it wide open. Levi sighed gratefully when he felt the fresh breeze flow into the room, stirring up the stagnant air and his own scent that was growing to become too much, even for him.

“Try and get some sleep,” Hange directed, “or rub one out... one will probably lead to the other either way.”

“Fuck off, four eyes,” Levi huffed without his usual bite. He was already exhausted and as far as he was aware, his heat had only just begun.

“Don't be so shy!” Hange admonished brightly and slapped him soundly on the ass. The impact had a moan nearly escaping him, but Levi managed to bite it down just in time. _Fucking fuck_. “This is all natural,” Hange assured him, falling into their lecturer voice, “the reaction your body is going through now is, if anything, proving that you're healthier than you first thought!”

“Doesn't feel fucking healthy,” Levi rasped. The innocent slap Hange had given him had made his dick stand at painful attention and he was glad the duvet helped covering it all up.

“Chicken nuggets huh... Nugget would be a good nick name for you,” Hange laughed while they fussed with the covers, pulling them up to Levi's face and resting the back of their hand against his forehead again to measure his body temperature, not in the least bit fazed by his attempt at biting at them. “You can choose,” Hange offered generously, “short stack or nugget?”

“Go away,” Levi wheezed, weakly swatting at their hand.

“Alright, alright,” Hange conceded, “I'll check in on you tomorrow morning so try and get some sleep- you're probably going to need it!”

With a last cackle, Hange disappeared out the door and left Levi in silence. A mewl rose in his throat, a soft sound of loneliness and abandonment and Levi almost let it out, desperate for Hange to come back, but managed to swallow it down.

It was quickly becoming too hot underneath the covers and sweat was sticking the unbearable clothes to his body, feeling stifling and restrictive. With the last bit of energy that he managed to summon, Levi wrenched the offending particles off himself and sighed with relief when he could stretch out more comfortably. With the newfound rest, a dreamless sleep finally overtook him.

**Erwin**

The stone path leading up to the blue house was so very familiar that Erwin knew of every crack and rise in them. He had walked them as a toddler, as a child, as a teenager and as a grown man. For years it had been to visit his grandma and even though his intentions these days went beyond sniffing after newly baked cookies, they were perhaps filled with just as much hope.

But behind the blossoming expectations was apprehension nagging at him in regards to what he was about to do. This was probably all too soon in lieu of yesterday which had ended on a very pleasant and interesting, though peculiar, note. Levi was... compelling. There truly was something about that petite omega that had his mind warping in the most unexpected directions.

Several weeks ago, when Hange had finally folded and told him that the new omega on his turf was from the Ackerman clan and that, wonders of wonders, he seemed to master the forgotten self defence mechanisms, Erwin had hardly dared to believe it. Had someone that powerful truly just wandered onto his turf and right into his grasp? Erwin had barely dared dream of the potential this would give him- give the clan.

The truth had been even more marvellous.

Not only was Levi even stronger than he had supposed, _hoped_ , but they were compatible. Power called to power and Levi shone like a furnace in the dark. There was, of course, the tiny little problem of Levi being more skittish than a wild animal. It had been quite surprising, really, the fierce aggression that Levi harboured, but Erwin had come to learn a bit more as to why. The recruitment process many clans employed was not something Erwin had ever personally experienced, but he knew enough about it that his heart ached on behalf of Levi. Of course, Levi would not appreciate such sentiments and so Erwin opted to remain silent in that regard. Still, patience was the key, even if certain _other_ interested parties were throwing all caution to the wind...

Today he would leave Levi alone. He had a feeling that was by far the best option considering what had happened between them yesterday. Erwin had made his intentions crystal clear from day one, but Levi was no longer in a position to either accept or deny them. If Erwin's suspicions in regards to what Levi could potentially unlock were correct, then it was imperative that he play his cards right.

His business was with Hange, an issue in regards to alpha disputes that could not be postponed any longer, but as soon as he had talked to them he would be leaving the house. Honestly, he had been contemplating whether he should be calling Hange up to the mansion instead, though they would both have to head down into the village later, anyway. And besides, Levi should not be left unattended and Erwin liked coming down to the village what with the mansion being so eerily quiet most of the time. Of course he was grateful to his ancestors for being forward thinking enough to invest their funds in a way that had more than quadrupled the clan's wealth but... it was just lonely sometimes, that was all.

Erwin scoffed at himself- those were just sorry excuses and he damned well knew it. Not even he could deny the urge he was having to immerse himself in that scent again, to hear that voice, to see that shape.

Erwin rallied by reminding himself that if he had been able to leave yesterday, then he would be able to do so today as well. It was, after all, his duty as Clan Alpha to make sure that all members of his clan were faring well. Was it not? Of course it was.

The door was open as always and Erwin entered the darkened hallway, all the while being mindful to call out his presence as he diligently took off his shoes. Levi had made those rules and he was just too happy to comply. Making rules in the house you lived in meant you cared about it to some extent. It also gave Erwin the ability to show in action that he wanted to play along. If what he believed was true then it was vital that he did, and Erwin was seldom wrong in such matters.

The pleasant and now familiar scents of Hange and Levi enveloped him, star anise and lilacs, and Erwin could not help but smile a little.

The house was eerily quiet. There were no callbacks from either Hange nor Levi, though he knew Hange had to be home from University. He had never known them bothering to go into the city on a Saturday, after all.

When he could not find Hange in the kitchen, Erwin supposed they had to be holed up in their study. Trailing along the hallway he mentally went through all that had happened yesterday. It had been a mostly normal evening of eating dinner with his friends, though Levi tended to give everything a bit of a kick with his snarky humour and dark outlook. Then things had gotten... out of hand. As the evening wore on, Erwin could remember less and less of it.

Frowning in confusion, Erwin stopped to look around himself. He was not by Hange's study at all, but on the second floor. Somehow he had ascended the stairs without even noticing while he was lost in thought.

Placing his fingers on the slightly wobbly wallpaper, Erwin followed the pattern of vines like he had done a hundred times while growing up. Hange had never bothered changing anything since they moved in and Erwin sort of wished that they had. He had been happy do discover that Levi at least had spent some time organizing and making the place a little bit more his own.

Often, Erwin worried that Hange's grief for their lost clan went so deep it had dislodged something that could not be healed. They kept on treating the space around them as something temporary. But he was not really good at broaching such topics and Hange tended to put on a brave face whenever they inched closer to the issue. He only hoped they could find some solace in Nanaba who had suffered much the same. Perhaps it was easier to find a home in people rather than in places.

Erwin stopped on the threshold. He had done exactly what he had told himself rather insistently that he should _not_ do: he had made his way to Levi's room. It was like standing out in his own garden right now as the heat of the summer made the blooms ripe. The scent was nearly overpowering in its sweetness, making Erwin's head swim gently. He could see the contour of a small body hidden under the duvet on the bed with only a tuft of messy, black hair visible from the door.

The room was a lot like Erwin remembered it from his grandma's days, though there were a few things distinctly Levi's now. Some clothes discarded on the floor, the book on omega history on the nightstand, a stack of games and some comics. They were all neatly organized, but contrasted so wonderfully against the flowery draperies Erwin could not help but move over to look at them. The games were of quite the variety and Erwin enjoyed it whenever Levi played them when they were visiting. The comics on the other hand were more of the violent and dark inclination and Erwin supposed they had to belong to Eren as well. They certainly smelled like him... Wrinkling his nose, Erwin let the one he was scrutinizing fall back onto the pile. That particular scent had been hanging heavy around Levi and the house the last few days. Irksome.

He should leave, but where was Hange?

With careful intention, Erwin had diverted his attention from the body in the bed and now he turned his back on Levi. He had always prided himself on his self-discipline as an alpha, but now his shirt clung to his back with perspiration and his muscles were slow to obey.

He had definitely made a mistake. A great one.

Ruts were not really something Erwin had experienced all that often, much thanks to his mostly level-headed temperament, but if something was to ever trigger it then Levi in heat had to be it. What had he been thinking even coming to the house? Weakness.

The doorway was closer, only a few more steps and he would be able to exit the room and lock the door behind him. Hopefully Hange was _somewhere_ in the house.

“ _Alpha._ ”

The word was a barely mewled rasp, but it was loud enough for Erwin to hear. Erwin closed his eyes and tried to still the immediate reaction of his body. There was an insistent pull at the nape of his neck beckoning him back to the bed. Tightening the fist by his side, Erwin felt his claws dig deep into the flesh of his palm, drawing blood.

There was a whimper, one of mild distress.

Erwin opened his eyes again. He was leaning over the bed. He could not remember moving. In the bed, Levi was trashing with static movements, moaning softly and gasping. It looked like he was trying to grasp onto something with his clawed hands, his eyes shut tight in what Erwin assumed was slumber.

“Levi,” Erwin called, trying to rouse him, “ _Levi._ ”

Levi gasped. The entirety of his small body strung up and moving towards Erwin, arms held up and searching.

“ _Alpha_ ,” Levi murmured again. Grasping the searching hand, Erwin held tightly onto it, barely noticing how the blood on his own palm smeared across the white skin of the omega.

Levi was beyond reason, Erwin realised, he was caught inside his heated mind and desperately searching after release. This was a heat haze unlike anything Erwin had seen before.

Gathering the remainder of his composure, Erwin committed what was to become his second great mistake: he issued a command, “ _look at me._ ”

Levi's eyes snapped open. They were bottomless. Black wells sinking earthwards to stilled, sunless waters with two silver slits the only promise of release. Erwin lost himself in them.

He moved the palm of his bleeding hand to the small cheek of the omega, startling at the heat of him. The omega burrowed into the touch, smearing red further across his own face but seemed not to care, inhaling the scent of it with a relaxed hum and a smile. The alpha could cup the entirety of the omega's head and still reach to brush a thumb across the parted lips.

“Please,” the omega begged. He could have issued any command, any wish, and the alpha would have heeded it.

Another kiss. The omega's lips were dry and cracked, but willing and giving. They tasted so sweet. Everything that the alpha was and that he had, owned, commanded, he wanted to regale on the omega. Their power crackled between them, sharp and unrelenting. Violent- _nearly_. There was no fight, the omega had given way willingly, but there were no easy paths between them. Not even then.

“I am here,” he whispered against those burning lips, “always here.”

A soft sigh escaped the omega, the sweetest sound that he had ever heard. The black eyes searched his, looking for a promise that he wanted to bestow. His entire body ached with the need to provide it. He placed his mouth on the omega's straining neck, his lips sucking on the soft skin as he slowly moved towards the nape, fangs scraping until it nearly bled, promising a binding contract between them.

The omega inclined his neck further, and a meek moan filtered through his throbbing lips. It was an ancient call.

“I'll be anything to you,” the omega murmured in a gasp of spent air, “anything you want me to be, take all of me.”

And what a beatific promise that was. A primordial contract between high and low, light and shadow, alpha and omega.

Between it all was desire, the rushing of life blood through their veins, the need to claim and be claimed. He moved onto the bed and it dipped underneath his weight. The omega blinked slowly up at him, hazed with lust. There were layers of fabric between them, but the omega seemed unconcerned, taking his pleasure from the friction alone. There was a need to connect, to fill and be filled. Desperately, he wanted to be with the omega in the basest of terms. To feel that silken skin against his own and be encompassed completely. He longed to not only own, but to belong.

Teeth grazed ruptured skin, tasted the iron of blood, and searched for the centre of power. It sat at the nape of the neck and once the omega realised what it was that he was searching for, he twisted in his grasp to give better access.

The omega was breathing heavily, sucking on the alpha's fingers as a poor substitute and the hot spit of his mouth was nearly burning. But just as the alpha poised himself to sink his teeth into that centre of nerves, scales hardened across the skin and the sharpened incisors were helpless to penetrate. The omega let out a gasp that turned into a cry and the loneliness in it reverberated inside of the alpha.

“Erwin!” a voice cut through, shrill and loud, the scent of star anis obscuring the heavy blanket of smouldering smoke lying over the omega, “you _know_ Levi can't consent right now.”

There was such reason in that voice, the alpha could do nothing but still himself to let the words sink in. Somewhere in his mind, he knew the truth of them.

Sluggish, his mouth let go of its hold around the omega's neck.

Was the voice a threat? No.

Lifting his gaze and searching for the origin of the voice, it eventually locked onto the beta's earthen brown, the warmth of home, and he saw fear there. It was his duty to protect them and he hesitated despite the compromising position the omega was left in.

“No,” the omega whimpered, “stay.”

Whatever the beta had implored for, it could wait. The alpha's gaze returned to the exquisite being underneath him, writhing and gasping as he was held, seeking his release against the thigh the alpha had placed between his legs. How easily he could use his strength to unleash devastation upon lesser beings if his beautiful omega just wished it. The alpha smiled.

“Fuck, he's entering a gods damned rut,” the beta grunted low. “Erwin!” the voice demanded again, “you will regret this afterwards when you're yourself again, I promise.”

There was sense there. The alpha knew. Blinking rapidly, he tried to shake the haze out of his eyes and he looked again. _Levi_. It was Levi that he had pinned underneath him, beyond reason and consent.

The realisation was enough to give Erwin back autonomy of his body, enough to let him find the strength to draw away. Bones aching, muscles lethargic, it was like moving through a nightmare. The physical effort of removing himself from Levi made his body shake, but despite it all, he staggered past Hange and breathed deeply in upon passing them. Their scent put the world further into focus, reminded him of who he was, what role he played and he braced himself on the door frame. The wretched mewl escaping Levi nearly had him falling to his knees. The wood underneath his hands splintered with the effort it took to wrestle back the control of his mind.

He turned to look behind himself.

Hange stood there between him and the bed with their arms thrown out like the most fragile of shields. He knew what it must have cost them to take such a stance and not for the first time did he bless every star that had put Hange in his clan, though it was now too late, the damage had been done.

**Levi**

The shock and pain of separation left Levi shuddering, his body convulsing until he felt the taste of bile in the back of his throat. The haze was slowly lifted from his eyes and he was able to watch the door slam shut behind Erwin before Hange locked it, their hands shaking.

Time stretched, warped, seemed to last forever and in an instant at the same time and then Hange's face was hovering right above his own. Even past the overwhelming presence of Erwin and his own choking pheromones, Levi could smell the stale stink of compost wafting off them.

“Fuck,” Hange gasped as their ice cold fingers pushed his head to the side to inspect his neck. “I thought I was going to be one dead motherfucker- I seriously almost pissed myself, Levi.” They released a breathless laugh that sounded like it was on the very edge of hysteria.

The room was slowly coming back into focus and with it the sharpening of his mind. Levi's body shuddered with one last cramp and sweat soaked his skin. It felt like someone had upended a bucket of water over his head.

“Thanks,” he croaked, trying to lick his dry lips but finding no saliva left in his mouth.

Hange's eyes widened behind their dirty and foggy glasses and their anxious expression melted into one of relief.

“I got you short stack, don't worry,” Hange whispered, pulling back slightly now that they realised Levi was whole and healthy. “That's not your blood, is it?”

Hange pointed at Levi's hand and face and he peered closer at it. It certainly wasn't his, but wherever it touched tingled pleasantly and Levi assumed it had to be Erwin's. What the fuck had he been doing in his room? How long had he been there?

Sitting up and pulling away the sweat soaked sheets, nearly having to peel them off his body, Levi was greeted with the sight of himself. Semen pooled sticky across his stomach and was already drying. He couldn't even remember having climaxed at any point. The amount soiling him and the bedsheets testified to it having happened more than once too. Levi curled his lip at all the bodily fluids he had managed to secrete in the small timespan Hange had been gone and Erwin had been in his room. It stank to high heavens but all he mustered to feel was mild sympathy for Hange for having to be the one to put up with it.

There were sounds of running water and Hange rummaging around in his bathroom before their messy head popped pack in. They seemed almost hesitant moving towards him, like they were afraid he'd either bolt or break into a million pieces. Their hand still quivered slightly when it came to rest on Levi's shoulder before wrapping around his upper arm and attempting to help him stand.

“Up you get- let's get you clean,” they coaxed, their voice sounding strained while they at the same time tried to be upbeat. It made for an unsettling mix. “I think the worst of your heat haze has passed for now.”

Their proximity was too much. Even if Levi had few reserves when it came to his own body, this was pushing it way past his line of comfort. There was an ache in him that was too hard to bear, a deep dissatisfaction that a promise had not been fulfilled.

“I don't need you to parent me,” Levi groused and attempted to stand on his own, but his legs folded immediately.

Gods damned this fucking heat. It was just a messy shit that left him vulnerable and unable to control his own fucking mind. Levi was livid. His heart was aching, his body unresponsive and his mind mostly just hazed fog. With a low growl he conceded the fight against himself and let Hange assist him.

Together they managed to get him up on unsteady legs and Hange more or less hauled him into the bathroom. Getting into the tub wasn't easy, and eventually Hange gave up any and all pretences and just picked him up, their lanky frame apparently hiding taut and wiry muscle. Carefully, Levi was placed into the lukewarm water.

The familiar sensation of water encasing his body instinctively reverted him back into a state of relaxation. Drawing his knees up, Levi rested his aching forehead against them and breathed easier. The coolness against the throbbing heat in his skin and joints was a release and he let out a low and breathy moan. He was too tired to care that Hange heard him.

Hange had settled down on their knees next to the tub and rested their arms on the side, peering at him. “Are you alright?”

“I'm fine,” Levi muttered.

“I have to admit, I have never seen anything quite like that before...” Hange revealed, their eyes unfocused as they seemed to mentally occupy a different time and place. “Of course, I've seen omega in pre-heat and even full heat before, but that was really something else.”

Levi shrugged. What could he say to that? While supervising the omega in the Ackerman clan they had all behaved pretty much the same. Being in heat wasn't really something anyone talked about much since it was such a personal experience and his own heat had not even crossed Levi's mind for years. He had barely had time to experience them before they were gone, turning into nothing much but hazy memories. No one had questioned his lack of heats or seemed concerned and Levi himself had been grateful for their absence.

With the unbearable onslaught of sensations and emotions it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep himself tethered. To keep in control. Had apparently already lost that battle though all that remained from Erwin's visit was a sense of deep satisfaction followed by acute loss.

“-and I somehow doubt you would have agreed to Erwin's advances if all your faculties were in order,” Hange continued to talk, though Levi barely managed to process the last of their statement.

Levi opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out. Those were more or less the same words he had told Eren in the aftermath of their runaway. But hadn't Levi done worse than Erwin? Over and over again, fully knowing what it was that he did. The fact that Erwin had left was enough evidence that he hadn't had all his “faculties” to begin with, either, as Hange put it. Not that Levi was making excuses for the alpha. He knew that under his lethargy he was pretty fucking pissed. If nothing else then the breach in his privacy after he had made it undoubtedly clear that he was not interested in Erwin's advances had the corner of Levi's eye tick.

But he also knew that there was a distinct difference between the preying ministrations of clan recruitment and a Clan Alpha reacting to an omega in heat. The guilt and the simmering anger coiled in his gut and all he wanted to do was curl up into a small ball and wait for the tide to pass.

With a soft splash his arm fell into the water and he looked dispassionately at the blood that had been left there, already turning a dark shade of brown. If Hange knew the extent of his involvement in the Ackerman's recruitment work, what would they think of him? It was not something that had ever concerned Levi before, but now it felt like he was being consumed raw by it.

“Oh, Levi,” Hange sighed and tried valiantly for a smile. “You're really not able to cover up the emotion in your scent right now.”

“Then hold your nose or something,” Levi grumbled and splashed a bit of water in Hange's general direction. It missed completely and Hange laughed, the bright sound echoing in the listless bathroom.

“I don't know how smart it would be to have Eren visit with you,” Hange mused as they dipped the wash cloth in the water and began to scrub away at the dried blood on Levi's cheek. “What with Erwin in a rut and everything... If there was to be a conflict now that could turn really ugly. _Really_ ugly.”

Levi's heart plummeted again at the words, but he knew Hange was right. Erwin had left, a task Levi hadn't known an alpha in rut to be capable of, but that didn't mean they could push him any further. Any involvement from Eren at this point would be the ultimate insult and even if Levi had learned more of Erwin's character and temper the past twenty four hours than he had done in the month he had stayed there, it was not a chance he was willing to take. Heat be damned, it would be a death sentence for Eren and, as most would see it, rightfully so.

Once the bath was over and Levi sat cross legged in the recliner by the fireplace, wrapped up in soft towels and munching on the chicken nuggets Hange had gotten him that morning, he felt marginally better. Hange had been kind enough to change his sheets despite Levi's vehement protests that he could do so himself. He wasn't a sick child, he was an adult man and he abhorred the treatment, but when he started to feel light-headed and dizzy again all he could do was sit down and watch them work.

“Honestly, Levi,” Hange chided as they balled up the sheets and put them in a heap by the door to wash later, “leaving you to your own devices right now goes too much against my instincts, it is rather selfish of you to tell me to do so.”

“It's just a heat-” Levi began to argue after having chewed down a fistful of fries.

“The hell it is,” Hange objected as they suddenly turned from their project and levelled him with one of their intense stares, “you cannot tell me that what I walked in on was “just” a heat. I've seen a heat haze before and that was _not_ it.”

A chill crept up Levi's spine at Hange's words. He wanted to ask them what they meant, but knew that he probably didn't want to hear whatever answer they might give him and instead busied himself with more food.

Hange didn't read his silence and answered his unvoiced question anyway, “obviously your singular scales didn't make it any better, but your eyes were completely black, Levi, like you were- I don't know, possessed or something.” Hange looked quite possessed themselves as they gesticulated wildly as they spoke, conveying through body language alone the level of passion this was invoking in them. “I know you have some abilities rarely seen before but that... well that calls for a whole new set of questions! We're so close-” Hange punched their fist into their hand, “-I can feel it!”

“Close to what?” Levi asked despite his better judgement. The mustard sauce that had come with the nuggets had gotten on his fingers and he carefully licked them clean.

“Close to finally rediscovering the knowledge that died with the omega during the gods damned witch hunts,” Hange nearly yelled in their excitement, “all that knowledge that the _no-dyms_ took from us and then fucking kept to themselves!”

Still with one finger in his mouth, Levi watched Hange with some fascination. He didn't understand what they were talking about or his own involvement in it, but something must have happened between him and Erwin to got them this riled up. Black eyes and forgotten omega knowledge? Hange was just rambling nonsense at this point, though Levi had long since learned not to underestimate them.

“Alright,” Levi conceded. His nuggets were gone and there were just a few soggy fries left and now he mostly just wanted to go to bed. Hange's arms fell down by their side in defeat and they laughed slightly, though their voice was warm with fondness.

“You're quite something, you know,” Hange smiled before returning to their work of changing the bed. “We'll talk about it more when all this is over because this- this is _big_ news, my tiny friend.”

Folding the greasy paper his food had arrived in, Levi put them in his waste basket before picking up the last bag Hange had brought for him. It was black and nondescript, which had his curiosity peaked. Upon discovering its contents his brows raised marginally in surprise.

“You bought me lube?” Levi inquired as he rummaged around in the bag. “And a... _dildo_? And-” Levi furrowed his brow again and pulled out something he couldn't quite place, it looked like it belonged in a science fiction movie more than anywhere near close to a human body.

“Figured it could help you tide over a little,” Hange shrugged, “I didn't know if you wanted to be alone during your heat or not- some prefer that and you did say you didn't want to mate with anyone, so...”

That was rather considerate despite not really being any of Hange's business, though Hange rarely tended to clue in on that type of thing. Levi placed the bag by the bed since he doubted he'd have the energy to do much more than sleep for a long while yet. Hange had given him the promised sleeping pills and with a belly full of fatty food they were starting to settle in nicely.

Crawling exhausted but clean into the freshly made bed felt like bliss. Hange stayed for a while longer, but was for once wonderfully quiet. Rolled over on his side, Levi lay content watching the darkening sky. Hange sat on the edge of the bed behind him, possibly looking at the same view, while carding their fingers slowly though Levi's quickly drying hair. His breath was evening out, his body felt like it weighed a ton and his mind was just a low murmur of the day's impressions. Blinking slowly, it took longer and longer for each time that he managed to open his eyes again, and eventually he fell asleep.

When he awoke again it was from a deep, dreamless darkness into even further darkness. No lights were on in his room and the scent of masala chai barely wafted on the air, indicating that Hange had finally gone back to their own bed. As always the house was quiet, the only sounds a soft groaning of the timber settling in with the chill of the night. Levi's body still felt sluggish from the drugs and it demanded a bit of effort to be able to roll onto his back. The bed gave a lonely creak. It was wide enough for Levi to stretch his arms out fully to the sides which was a whole lot more space than he'd ever had to himself to sleep in before. While living with Kuchel they'd shared a rather small, rickety bed and on the Ackerman turf, Furlan had slept in the bunk bed above him. Levi still expected to wake up and hear his low snores from time to time.

But here and now he was completely alone.

The lack of anyone's familiar scent felt like a physical stab to the gut. Whimpering in pain, Levi rolled back onto his side and curled into a tight ball, pulling the cover over his head in a childish attempt to disappear. He held on tight, gritting his teeth in vain against the sensation of his body being crushed from the inside.

Logic didn't let itself apply there in the dark. He knew that the pills still in his system were mixing with the heat in an awful concoction that set the synapses on fire. The loneliness clawed at him and if his body hadn't been so utterly destroyed and weak he would have left the room. Left the house. Levi knew where he wanted to go and he quivered with the desire for it.

Trapped in a state between the unconscious and the awake, the heat rode Levi's body till he was drenched in sweat again, mewling and groaning until his throat was raw. Too incoherent to grant himself any release, all Levi could do was twist and turn in the clammy sheets, but any sensation on his burning skin felt like torture. The whimpers turned into Eren's name until with a last gasp, Levi conceded the fight and the tears broke free. They were quiet at first, merely hot, salty streams that made his skin feel cracked and raw. The first sob rattled in Levi's lungs and he pressed both his hands over his mouth to silence the sounds, but the effort it took convulsed his already battered body, over and over again.

Levi could not remember having fallen back asleep, but he must have because the engulfing darkness of the night had made way to the quiet light of early morning. Hange was back in the room, stroking Levi's sweaty forehead and talking. It took several slow moments before Levi was able to hear what it was they were trying to say.

“I gotta go into the University quickly today, Nugget,” Hange said in a tone that indicated they must have said the same thing several times already. “I won't be long though and Nana promised she'd be by to check up on you.”

Breathing in sharply, Levi expected the pain to stab through him again, but it was blessedly quiet and numb. His breath left him in a rattling exhale of relief. Opening his mouth to give Hange some sort of reply that he had heard them, Levi found that his lips were stuck together and his mouth was too dry to produce any saliva to fix it.

“Here,” Hange prompted, having already uncorked a bottle of water and was holding it up for him to take. Taking only a few sips of water, Levi could already feel the headache of dehydration thump inside his skull. “How long did your heats usually last?” Hange wondered, but it didn't seem like they expected an answer because they instantly continued, “it has already been nearly three days so it can't be all that much left to go.”

Levi certainly hoped so. He didn't know how long a heat would have lasted him unattended, because he had never experienced it before. There had always been someone to share them with the few times they had come around.

“I'll be locking every door that can be locked,” Hange informed him as they got up from the bed with a businesslike flair, “so you don't have to worry about that. Nana got the keys so I went ahead and put her number in your phone so you can call her if you need anything.”

Levi peered over at the night stand and sure enough, there was the phone he had gotten from Eren. How had Hange unlocked it? It was supposed to have a fingerprint lock... Well, should he honestly be surprised? It was Hange, after all.

They gave him a last kiss on the brow that Levi was too tired to react to one way or another before leaving. There was the sound of a key rummaging in the lock before it turned with a creak as Hange did what they had promised. Shut in like fucking Rapunzel. Perhaps he should have been insulted by it, probably would have been if he could focus his mind in any one direction, but as it was Levi merely sighed and turned to look out the window again. Staring up at the forget me not blue sky gave him the feeling of being set apart from the rest of the world. It didn't concern him here, couldn't even touch him. It was almost peaceful.

Lulled by the view of soft clouds, Levi dreamed of the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to make a little note on how grateful and happy I am for everyone who have stuck by this and who continue to leave uplifting and encouraging feedback! Thank you all so much ❤️
> 
> Ps. Hang in there.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“You're in heat, Levi,” Eren muttered. As if Levi didn't fucking know that. “So you can't technically consent-”_
> 
> _“Do you want to be with me, Eren?” Levi posed the question. He didn't really have the patience, but he tried to make the last effort. He was hollowed out and aching, at the end of his fragile limit and what he wanted, needed, was right in front of him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am looking forward to the day I have some type of consistency in my life. 
> 
> Anywayyy (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
> 
> Music: [Little Love - Graham Candy](https://open.spotify.com/track/4uEKdyxkIA10iw113OHW9F?si=_DPks7-8TIWca2mTiE7cnQ)

Levi looked out across a vast expanse of white sand and a brilliantly blue ocean. It was oddly familiar, though he couldn't remember ever having been there before. Thick, fluffy clouds were blowing across the sky, so close that Levi imagined he could reach them if he had a tall enough ladder. He supposed it should be cold, remembered vaguely that it was, but he couldn't feel it. He turned with his bucket and looked up at Kuchel who was walking towards him with one of her own clasped in her hand, both were filled with wet sand.

“You ready?” Kuchel asked, though her mouth didn't move. She was just smiling down at him, her fangs small but sharp. Levi had practised the same smile in the mirror countless times, but it never looked the same. Cute, Kuchel had said, but Levi didn't want to be cute.

They settled down on the sand, Kuchel on her knees and Levi cross-legged.

“One, two, three!” Kuchel counted down and they upended their buckets quickly, making sure no sand got out before banging their spades enthusiastically on the sides. With a little bit of wiggling they got the buckets off to reveal their small sandcastles. Levi's one turret fell, but Kuchel's was perfect. Everything Kuchel did was perfect and Levi stared at her castle with marvel.

“Looks like someone attacked your castle,” Kuchel smiled and pointed at the turret, “but it withstood the siege!”

And now Levi was all excited because his castle had a story. What had attacked it? Dragons? _No dyms_? A clan, maybe? The possibilities were endless. It was time to create a moat and reinforce the walls with some seashells.

Water lapped at his feet as he picked the nicest shells that he could find and put them in his bucket. Most of the ones he found were crushed, but there were some good ones left. Levi liked the iridescent blue shells, they reminded him of Kuchel's scales when the sun hit them- his own were just plain black. Kuchel had told him never to show his scales in public, especially with _no dyms_ around, but he couldn't help putting the shell to his scaled arm in order to compare with some hope.

“Levi, what are you doing?” Kuchel's voice admonished. It sounded like it was right next to his ear, but when he startled guiltily and looked up she was far away. Water had risen up to his knees and the waves had destroyed both their castles.

“What is this?” Levi asked.

The question didn't make much sense, but Kuchel answered it anyway, “it's the tide. You can't stop the tide even if you scowl at it, Levi.”

“Oh.” Levi stared at the water raising around him. There was water everywhere now and Kuchel had become a mere speck of darkness in the distance. Above him the gulls cried and fear was about to lap at him when he remembered that this was just a dream.

The realisation dropped him into consciousness with a gasp of pain. He had forgotten how good it felt to have Kuchel around. How safe. How funny she had been. Levi smiled a bit and wiped at the tear stuck in his lashes. Hormones were a bitch.

The dream faded slowly, but the the sound of her voice and the waves still echoed faintly. The scent of the ocean enveloped him thick and real and Levi suppressed a sigh upon turning around in his tussled bed. He was not surprised when he found Eren perched on the windowsill, bright yellow eyes shining at him. Had his heat been broadcast to every gods damned alpha in the entire clan?

“What the fuck are you doing here, Eren?” Levi asked him, his voice sounding like death itself from dehydration.

Tearing his eyes away from the alpha, Levi found the bottle of water Hange had put on his stand and downed the entire thing in one go. The tepid liquid felt cool down his scorched throat. With some effort he managed to sit up and stretched, joints popping and muscles aching. It felt like he'd been in the worst fight of his life, body pummelled and bruised, but thankfully his mind remained somewhat his own for the time being.

Eren had yet to answer, so Levi prompted him again, “why are you in my fucking window, Eren?”

Eren had dug his claws deep into the old wood of the windowsill and he was breathing erratically. His scent, overpowering as it was, betrayed the effort he was going through to keep the few meters of distance between them.

“I was dumb,” Eren admitted, voice deep and gritty. “You weren't answering your phone and I got sorta worried after what happened on Friday- especially when Hange sent me a message from your phone, so I decided to check up on you. All the doors were locked and nobody answered, so- _yeah_... ”

It was such a pitiful excuse and Levi couldn't help but regale Eren with his best “ _are you fucking kidding me, you dumb shit,_ ” stare. The alpha looked suitably chastised.

“I don't think I can leave, though,” Eren admitted in a barely audible growl. “Maybe call Nana or Hange or something- I know Nana has a tranq gun in her house, she's threatened me with it before.”

Eren barked a hoarse laugh at his own joke, his mouth a maw of deadly teeth and Levi couldn't help but scoff at the obvious state Eren was in. Any other and Levi might have felt cornered, but this was his alpha and Levi felt nothing but deeply churning desire tinged with exasperation. Though even that translated into something like fondness.

With some effort, Levi managed to untangle himself from the sheets that he'd been tossing around in and got up on unsteady legs. Naked, sans a small spattering of scales around his most sensitive areas, Levi stood in front of Eren whose attention was suddenly wholly undivided. The yellow in his eyes gave way to gold, pupils dilating large and black; it was like watching a sunset darkening into a resplendent night.

“You're in heat, Levi,” Eren muttered. As if Levi didn't fucking know that. “So you can't technically consent-”

“Do you want to be with me, Eren?” Levi posed the question. He didn't really have the patience, but he tried to make the last effort. He was hollowed out and aching, at the end of his fragile limit and what he wanted, _needed_ , was right in front of him.

Eren nodded slowly and the sun lent his dark hair a warm, shimmering hue.

“Well then, alpha,” Levi said and held his arms out towards him, palms up, “come to me.”

A moment of indecision passed before Eren finally dislodged his claws from the wood and made his way down from the sill. He crossed the space between them in just a few strides, body moving with purpose and Levi's arousal soared. The familiar warmth and scent of Eren was enough to drain the last of Levi's strength and he rested his forehead against the broad chest with a sigh of relief that sounded more like a moan. Eren's arms wrapped around him, bracing behind his neck and back to steady him as he pulled them closer together.

Levi could feel the thump of Eren's heart against his cheek and soft lips pressed against the top of his head. He had missed Eren, perhaps embarrassingly so. The heat had stripped Levi of the last remnants of his inhibition, his embarrassment, his hesitation and his long ingrained need to wall himself off and he was giving in. The echo of Kuchel's words had him laugh an internal, nearly ironic, laugh: “ _you can't stop the tide even if you scowl at it, Levi._ ”

She'd been too much. _Eren_ was too much. They filled in the spaces Levi had left bare. And yet, despite the heat and the befuddling haze, Levi's mind had never been clearer. A choice had never felt so right.

The arm wrapping around his back dipped lower, tucking underneath his ass before he was unceremoniously lifted up. Wrapping his legs around Eren's waist, Levi stared down into that feral face. He knew there was a lot about Eren that had people uncomfortable and his appearance and temperament were just parts of it. There was something intangible about his alpha that spoke of a wildness that couldn't be tamed. It was in his scent, in his features that were so far from a _no dym_ and in the tantalising promise of power. A desire to be free, unshackled, vast and open like the sea. How could Levi ever fear such an enticing prospect?

Eren carried him to the bed and put him down. He tried to do so gently, but it was to be expected that inhibitions were hard to control and Levi had his breath knocked out of him regardless. Thankfully Eren hadn't seemed to notice and wasn't about to fuss about him like he was a fragile little thing. Instead he busied himself by quite literally ripping his own clothes off, his t-shirt tossed to the floor in tatters and his sweats kicked off.

Levi swallowed and exhaled the hot, burning air in his chest through his nose. Despite Eren having seen him naked on many, _many_ occasions, Eren had never returned the favour. His skin was a deep tan, stretched over taut muscles and veins that were pumping heated blood. He was already fully erect, cock straining against his stomach and the heavy pulse was making it jerk a little at the attention it was given. Levi reached out his hand to wrap it carefully around it and, loving the sound of Eren inhaling sharply, ran his thumb up and down the vein on the underside. The shaft was thick enough that his middle finger and thumb were not to be able to fully grasp around it.

He knew what he wanted from Eren, but this was their first time together. No one, Levi least of all, would have pegged himself for a romantic but... with Eren it was different. There were things that could not be forgotten or glossed over. Things that he had done and had been done to him that lingered and- gods he wished he could just let it disappear from his mind. Wished this moment could have been wholly their own without discordant memories jarring through their minds.

Reclining on the bed, Levi let his aching body rest into the soft mattress and duvet. Eren's hungry eyes were roaming his body which was making him become aware of it in a way he had never truly been before. The flesh that he mastered and used to achieve whatever goal had been put upon him was just that: a tool. But Eren's attention and eager hands forced him into the flesh he had gotten used to disregarding. He was put right back into the body that he habitually escaped from in encounters like these to retain some of his autonomy.

The larger alpha had climbed onto the bed and was looming over him, his scent clouding Levi's perception of time and space. He seemed both so intimately close and unbearably distant at the same time. Searching Eren's face with a mix of both trepidation and expectation, Levi found that despite the golden hue to his eyes, his expression was soft and attentive.

“Eren...” Levi breathed and pressed his thumb against those plump, red lips. They parted, and Eren darted out a hot tongue to lap at the finger before sucking it in. The sharpness of Eren's incisors contrasted delightfully with the soft wetness of his tongue.

Releasing the finger with a wet pop, Eren dove straight for Levi's neck and inhaled deeply- as if Levi's scent wasn't already suffused through the entire room like a near physical manifestation.

“You're alright with this?” Eren questioned, “because I want you so bad right now.”

“For fuck's sake Eren,” Levi groaned and bucked his hips against Eren's stomach, “I'm in heat you absolute asshole- what do you think?”

The reprimand for his impatience was swift and delightful as Eren bit down on Levi's neck without drawing blood. The sharp pain was amplified by the thrumming need coursing through his body and translated into pleasure. Levi writhed underneath Eren who was effortlessly holding him down now. Whatever reservations or restrictions he had used to exercise around Levi was quickly waning in their mutual need.

Eren gently sucked and licked at the area he had just bruised and it was quickly becoming too much on Levi's already overstimulated and oversensitive skin. In an effort to stave off the haze he could feel encroaching upon his mind, Levi redirected his attention on to Eren. Touching the pleasantly warm and smooth skin, gently kneading firm muscle and pressing his lips against a shoulder in a soft kiss. Eren was larger than him by quite a margin, but athletic built rather than burly unlike most alphas.

Despite having been with Eren through a rut, Levi wouldn't say they had been intimate. That night in the cell had slowly descended into fractured memories and Levi still hadn't been able to dredge up the missing pieces. It wasn't something they ever talked about, either...

“Hey, where are you?” Eren questioned softly, punctuating the query with a kiss. “You're disappearing again.”

Levi blinked and the dark, dank cell dissipated and he found himself in his flowery draped bed, warmed up by the sunshine and Eren's body.

“I'm here,” Levi murmured and tried for a smile. Eren returned it wholeheartedly, like he always did, his eyes glittering and scent content.

Levi brushed some of the dark tresses that were already damp with perspiration back behind Eren's sharp ear. It was difficult- all of this was tearing at a part of him that he had thought long dead. The last time he'd been in heat had been about ten years ago and it had also been the last time he shared it with anyone. He'd thought it snuffed out and yet here he was, pretty much in the same fucking predicament: hiding away his desires, his choice, his alpha. It felt like he was hiding away everything that made him human.

Taking a deep breath, Levi prepared to speak but the words felt hollow and meaningless resting on his tongue. Despite that, he wanted to voice them, “Eren, do you promise to stay after this?”

Levi didn't want to be met with overwhelming platitudes nor did he want the question to be treated lightly. He held his breath waiting for Eren's answer.

The alpha regarded him for a long while, face solemn and brow furrowed in thought. “Where else would I want be?” Eren finally returned the question with one of his own. “You said you felt this connection too, didn't you?”

Nodding slowly, Levi accepted it. It would be as good as he got right now. Perhaps it would all go to hell, most likely it would, but he'd felt that pain before and he'd survived it. Maybe Eren was worth going through that again.

Mind drowning and body on fire, Levi welcomed Eren's tongue into his waiting mouth, relished every part of them that touched. Though there was a sense of urgency thrumming at Levi's nerves, the pace in which they re-explored each other was measured. Touch for touch, kiss for kiss, their bodies became acquainted. Levi delighted in discovering that Eren's nipples were sensitive, to hear how he gasped when Levi gently bit the lobe of his ear, that he had a spattering of freckles on his lower abdomen. Eren was hairier than himself, but the strands were soft and tickled Levi's palms delightfully when he slid his hands down Eren's muscled thighs.

When Eren grabbed a handful of Levi's hair and pulled his head back to expose his throat, the deep moan that Levi let past his lips had the alpha shivering. Levi's scalp tingled delightfully and his adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed, knowing full well how tantalising the sight would be for Eren. The alpha could easily rip his throat out with his powerful fangs and knowing that gave Levi a small rush, but only because he was certain Eren would never do such a thing. A hot tongue lapped at Levi's jugular and throat before giving it a teasing little nibble, as if to underline that very thought.

“Do you have lube and stuff?” Eren wanted to know, voice deep and gravely in his desire.

“And stuff?” Levi just couldn't help needling him a bit despite their position. But he was just as impatient- no, he was beyond patience. He was hanging onto a thread, barely coherent and truth be told he'd forego any preparation if he had to. Thankfully though... “yeah I do, Hange got me quite a collection, actually.”

“What?” Eren's laughter was warm and the delight shining in his eyes had Levi's heart squeeze tight.

Levi pointed at the nondescript, black bag Hange had touted and Eren leaned over to peer into it. Pulling out three different bottles of lube, he read the labels while his eyebrows kept raising in surprise.

“Hange seriously got you lube that taste like popcorn and strawberry cheesecake?” Eren asked incredulously, “they really need a hobby.”

Levi agreed on that notion, but now that Levi was considering it, he couldn't help but wonder if Hange hadn't actually planned for this eventuality all along. Levi really wouldn't put it past them and he wondered what it had said in the text message they'd sent Eren.

“Are you complaining, though?” Levi wondered and tapped the third bottle that looked the least offensive to indicate that was the one he wanted.

“Not at all,” Eren laughed, throwing the two others back into the bag, “Hange is a lifesaver.”

If Eren only knew how much. That if it hadn't been for Hange then Levi might have been claimed by someone else entirely. Unconsciously, Levi's hand moved to his heart where he pressed down on the rapidly pumping muscle. Eren wore his emotions like an exposed nerve and Levi suspected that having a connection severed between them could break something in the young alpha. Even if Levi didn't believe he had much to give anyone, especially not in any kind of relationship, he could at least offer some protection from that.

Eren opened the bottle of lube and the distinct scent of vanilla tried to battle with that of Eren and Levi's own scent, but it quickly lost.

“Not really meant for people with a dynamic, huh?” Eren mused and poured a generous amount in his palm before rubbing his hands together to warm it up. “But I guess _no dyms_ like nice smells while having sex, too.”

“I think _no dyms_ fucking is the last thing I want to think about right now,” Levi quipped back.

Despite the heat and his desperation both physically and mentally, Levi had to admit to himself that he was feeling slightly nervous. It had been a long time since he shared a moment like this with anyone. Any preparation he'd done, he'd done on his own, and it had purely been to get a job done effectively. For once, Levi wished the haze would take over and let his body guide him through it, but he remained stubbornly coherent.

Sensing Levi's discomfiture, Eren stretched himself out next to Levi and placed a sticky, lubed hand on his chest. Normally Levi would have shrugged it off as gross, but he was already covered in sweat and beyond really caring at this point. Eren didn't seem to mind Levi's state in the least as he trailed his tongue down the path he made with his fingers, tasting the lube and Levi likewise. Once the hand and tongue reached Levi's hard erection, they both skirted it completely, the hand continuing down, merely giving a slight stroke to the balls and a bit of pressure against the perineum before it found its destination.

Shrugging Levi's thigh up onto one shoulder for better access, Eren dragged his tongue against the thin, sensitive skin stretched over the artery by Levi's hip and Levi couldn't stop the immediate twitch and breathless laugh when it tickled. Eren laughed too and the added brushing of his lips was nearly too much, but then the first finger entered Levi without any warning and the sudden sensation of being breached had Levi's laugh turn into a strained gasp. The finger went in easily with the amount of lube used and Levi quickly forgot all about it when Eren began sucking on the skin he had just been licking. His nerves were wound so tight it was nearly painful and Levi writhed in his grasp not necessarily to get away, but he needed to move, and consequently impaled himself further onto Eren's finger.

It wasn't until Eren moved a bit further down while still sucking and nibbling that Levi realised the alpha was marking him in the basest of terms. The kind of shit teenagers did before they could even entertain the idea of placing a mating mark. The skin on Levi's hip and lower abdomen was already dark red from the ministrations and would probably purple and bruise quickly. Curling one fist into the sheets underneath him and tugging at his own hair with the other, Levi watched Eren's hungry marking and wondered why it felt like his heart was about to hammer out of his chest. He wanted to cry and he wanted to laugh, but he choked it all down and managed to do neither.

A second finger was added seemingly as an afterthought, but the sharp teeth scraping against Levi's skin made the stretch feel almost secondary. In his opinion Eren was being far too slow with it, but Levi was loathe to have to _beg_ for anything, least of all something like this.

“Eren, I won't break any time soon,” Levi hissed instead, hoping he'd take the hint.

Eren's intense eyes snapped open and regaled him with a look so feral and hungry it nearly felt like a physical touch, one that reached deep within and pulled on nerves that were already set on fire. Not letting his gaze waver from Levi's face, Eren inserted the third finger not exactly forcefully, but not gently either, and Levi had to let his breath out slowly between parted lips to relax into it again. Cheeky asshole. But Levi couldn't help a crooked smile at the teasing and, more importantly, it was finally starting to feel good rather than just like an annoying intrusion.

“I don't need all this,” Levi insisted and gasped when Eren began moving his fingers slowly. No, he needed something much more and this was just tearing at the last frayed edges of his mind.

“I don't want to hurt you,” Eren argued, “besides, I like doing it- you're so beautiful like this.”

Groaning in exasperation, Levi tossed a bit in the sheets with the near painful build up that just wasn't finding its release. Did he truly have to beg? He wasn't about to. Eren would have to grow bored eventually. But when Eren finally found the sweet spot, the longing and desperation it triggered had Levi barking, “I've been in heat for fucking tree days, Eren, cut the gods damned crap.”

With a narrow, golden gaze, Eren finally stopped. His scent had a slight bitter undertone, one that promised that any further obstinacy might just end badly for Levi and it had the omega shiver underneath him. But Eren did as he had been told and removed his fingers carefully and Levi couldn't help but sigh in slight vexation at himself. Leaning up, Levi caressed Eren's arms and splayed his fingers against his chest, the physical touch connecting them again.

“It truly is fine, Eren,” Levi murmured, though he could see his own hands shaking with the strain it took for him to keep himself gathered. “Pl- uhn, I just really want you.”

It was the truth and as close to begging as Levi would ever come. Something softened in Eren's expression and he seemed to understand what Levi was trying to convey despite his ineptitude with words.

Sitting up between Levi's knees, Eren grabbed his ass to lifted him up slightly from the mattress for a better angle and lined up to push against him. They both gasped as the tip of his cock breached and Eren stopped for a moment to let them both just breathe. The stretch was painful, but the warmth that spread through Levi felt so good it took all of his willpower not to rut back into him and force him in deeper. Slowly, Eren began to push half way in before pulling back again, repeating the process until he was nearly fully seated. Levi could feel how the alpha's cock twitched inside him and his own muscles clenched in answer, adjusting to the sensation of being stretched to near breaking. Eren was a lot to get used to and Levi's forehead and chest were damp with sweat as he labored through it. But relaxing into it wasn't difficult, not when it felt so good, and now Levi barely even heard the small moans that he was letting pass.

Levi had taken Eren before when he had been in a state of frenzied rut and survived it just fine, even though the aftermath of it had been a bit more than what he was used to. Now, surrounded by the scent of a calm sea and embraced rather than forcefully held down, Levi let his hands caress Eren's muscled back and marvelled at the comfort it brought him. Like any dull and chronic pain, Levi hadn't noticed its presence until it was now gone. The heavy tension in his chest had eased and it finally felt like air could reach his lungs and his body relaxed, giving in willingly.

Eren let out a small gasp as he bottomed out and placed a soft kiss on the side of Levi's head. The gentle affections were such an opposite from their first time together. Pulling out ever so slightly and slowly entering fully again, Eren barely moved, but it was enough to have Levi's eyelids fluttering shut. This tenderness and attention from his alpha meant more to him than the sex itself, though Levi knew that with how tight his body had been wired for days it wouldn't take him long even if Eren kept up the agonizingly slow pace.

Something warm and wet splattered on to Levi's cheek and he opened his eyes again startled, staring up at Eren who was looking down at him in turn. The golden shimmer in Eren's eyes swirled with further unshed tears and once he realised they weren't going to stop he bent his head and hid his face in the crook of Levi's neck. The shoulders and back that had just moments ago felt so steady now shook under Levi's hands.

“Eren?” Levi questioned warily, taking a hold of Eren's head to lift his face up so that he could look at him properly. “What's the matter?”

Eren gave an abashed and wet smile and tried to brush it off with a laugh, but it ended in a confused sob. “This is good, isn't it?” Eren whispered the question, his gaze averted for a moment before it returned to meet Levi's. “We're good together, right?”

Brushing Eren's hair away from his face, Levi thumbed at the few tears that were wetting his cheek. Of all the alphas he could have met that day, it had to be a stubborn ass from the Smith clan, one whose world view and principality forced Levi to see himself and his action in a wholly different light. The damage that had been done could not be undone, but perhaps they could create something new.

“Yeah,” Levi agreed, “this is good, Eren.”

Neither of them were men of words, but words had always been superfluous between them either way. Unafraid, Eren bared everything for Levi in his scent, touch and eyes and Levi hoped that the fear and guilt Eren harboured might finally find some catharsis here.

Eren gave him a long, searing kiss before sitting up again to drag his clawed nails down Levi's chest and stomach, leaving a trail of shallow, red welts. It wasn't exactly painful, but had enough of a sting to it that it brought Levi right back into his body, the body that was ravaged by the heat and twisted so tight it had become unbearable. But Eren wasn't about to let him wait any longer. Taking Levi's hips in a secure grip he'd have to fight to get out of, Eren braced himself to get better leverage before pulling halfway out and slamming back in. Levi arched his back with the impact, mouth open in a silent moan he would not voice. Mind blanking out, Levi was for a moment nothing but the sensations in his body, the dull pain in the bruises and claw marks, his dick straining and aching and Eren inside him, stretching and filling him.

Lying there on his back and helplessly splayed out in front of Eren had Levi feeling completely exposed and naked in an unfamiliar sense. Not just his bared body, but also the pleasure he was given and how much he needed it. A part of him wanted to fight it, to retreat into his shell, but the look of focused want on Eren's face had any such thought dissipating. If nothing else the heat was giving him this; the ability to be nothing else but someone who desired and the mutual object of desire.

Eren's muscles bulged with the effort of holding them both in such a position and sweat glistened on his chest, but there was no indication that Eren would run out of stamina any time soon. Levi, on the other hand, was barely able to stem the flood that was already threatening to wreak him. Debating whether he should stretch it out or just give in, the decision was taken from him when Eren twisted their position, bracing one arm against the mattress next to Levi's head for support. The new angle brought him deeper and hit Levi's already swollen prostrate upon every heavy thrust.

This time, Levi could not silence his cry as he came undone. Digging his hands and claws into Eren's neck and shoulder, bringing their bodies as close together as he could while the waves of pleasure rode him.

Once the ringing in his ear had subsided slightly and he managed to unhook himself from Eren's flesh, he noticed that the other man was laughing quietly. But Eren was looking at him with nothing but fondness and warmth, and perhaps relief as well, heedless of the droplets of blood now running down and mingling with the sweat on his clavicle.

“I love making you come,” Eren murmured and nuzzled into Levi's neck, “I think it's my new favourite past time.”

Levi wanted to return the comment with a sharp rebuttal or surly remark, but when the now familiar heat already started gathering in his abdomen again he felt rather grateful instead.

“Let's see what you got then, alpha,” Levi teased and was instantly rewarded with a mock growl and a sharp nip to the neck. It was playful, but it carried with it a certain promise of something more, something darker, and Levi rolled his head to the side to quietly assent to it. The implication wasn't lost on Eren whose gentle bite turned more assertive.

With Eren still deep inside him, Levi wriggled a bit and relished in the feeling of being taken so completely. He was oversensitive after just having come from prostrate stimulation alone, but if anything it only further fuelled his yearning for more. Deeper, harder.

Eren began pulling out and Levi pressed his lips together to better bear the discomfort. Once fully out, Levi was about to get up from bed and take the respite given him to go to the bathroom, but Eren had other plans. Without seemingly any effort, Eren took hold of Levi and flipped the much smaller omega around and onto his stomach. For once taken properly by surprise, Levi remained where he had been put as Eren leaned over him and gave the nape of his neck a few kisses.

“On your knees,” Eren demanded and a shiver of pleasure went through Levi's body at the tone of his voice. Complying to it felt even better.

Levi braced himself on his elbows and rose up on his knees, his ass flushed against Eren's crotch with his still hard cock pulsing promisingly between his spread thighs. Resting his head between his arms, Levi had to take a moment to just breathe again. The room was swimming around him and he felt distanced and removed with the haze quickly descending upon him, but he wanted to be clear, he wanted to experience and remember this.

Kneading Levi's ass none too gently, Eren spread him open and lined himself up before entering again, pushing in fully in one, hard thrust that had Levi choking on his moan. The force of it had him close to falling into a heap if it hadn't been for Eren's solid grip holding him up. With some effort, Levi shook his head to try and get rid of the haze before rising back into position again. Eren moved one broad hand to Levi's back and it nearly spanned its width before slamming hard into him, forcing Levi to snap to attention with a strained groan. Now seemingly satisfied that Levi was fully alert, Eren set a slow, but deep rhythm that has Levi clawing a tight grip into the bed sheets in order to hold himself up. 

“Good omega,” Eren praised him in a deep growl and Levi's eyes widened in shock at the words just as his face lit up in a crimson blush. But despite his embarrassment he couldn't deny how his cock twitched or how his back arched, and maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't mind hearing such words again. From Eren.

And that, that was something _completely_ different.

The slow, but punishing thrusts had Levi tethering on the edge and it was starting to feel deliciously cruel. Wanting to give himself more, Levi tried to push back, but Eren's hand on his back stopped his movement. Worse, Eren also stopped his own.

“Be a good, patient omega for me now,” Eren murmured and Levi gasped in his frustration because the heat those words built in him was excruciating. With a muffled sob into the mattress, Levi tried his best.

After a moment of gauging Levi's obedience, Eren must have concluded that it was good enough because he finally began moving again. The pause couldn't have been that long, but it had felt like an eternity. Levi didn't want to think about how desperate he was, how dependent on his alpha, how he had pined for this, though deep down it gave him pleasure to know that Eren wanted him to be so.

Thighs quivering and hands buried so roughly in the mattress his claws had ripped it open, Levi's conscious was diminishing until all he could feel was how Eren's cock moved inside him. The way it stretched and burned when he pulled out and the way it nudged deep in his gut when he slammed back in.

When Levi was reduced to nothing but short gasps and his entire body was shaking with the strain, Eren grabbed both his arms and pulled him back again. Forced onto his knees, the gravity added further impact for each thrust as Eren pounded into him, shooting jolts of electricity through Levi's burning body and he cried out, heedless of volume. Levi could feel the hot fluid leaking out of his weeping cock as Eren continued to hit his prostrate, and the heat pooling in his groin was spreading up through his spine and clutched at his skull. Every nerve was on fire and Levi had never believed anything could feel this good.

Eren let go of one of Levi's arms though he could now barely control his body to stay upright on his own. Decisively, Eren wrapped his own arm around Levi to steady him up against his chest. The position arched Levi's back into an uncomfortable angle and his own weight forced him down deeper on Eren's cock that was already stretching him to breaking and he groaned in a mixture of pain and pleasure. Though when Eren finally used the other hand to envelope Levi's erection, he barely even noticed the pain anymore. Eren was none too gentle in his ministrations, but any attention to Levi's neglected cock was enough to push him over.

The rush of pleasure washing over Levi while he was milked dry left him barely coherent, and he could only hang collapsed in Eren's grip as his body convulsed with the release. Levi was scarcely cognizant of Eren's own groan and tightening grip as his cock grew and twitched inside with his release. Levi's muscles were spasming with the aftereffects of his orgasm and he could feel the saliva dripping down his chin, and he was grateful when Eren finally let him drop to the mattress before collapsing on top of him. At this point Levi was incapable of differentiating between where his body ended and Eren's began and all he could do was to concentrate on trying to breathe.

Using the corner of the duvet, Eren wiped some of the sweat and saliva from Levi's face before kissing him gently. Not until he had softened a bit did he carefully pull out, though it still stung quite a bit. Perhaps Eren had been right that some more preparation had been in order, Levi thought ruefully, though he could hardly complain about it.

For the first time since the heat had begun did Levi feel somewhat sated and spent. Perhaps this was it, perhaps that was all it took in the end? On one hand he yearned to get his mind back fully, on the other... being with Eren like this was- Levi hesitated to put a word on it, but he supposed wonderful would do.

The weight of the alpha was quickly becoming a bit too much and Levi tried to wriggle his way out from underneath Eren's heavy bulk, but was forcefully restrained. Too tired to protest, Levi let himself be jostled until Eren was laid stretched out behind him and pressedLevi's back close against his chest and his nose nuzzled into Levi's hair.

“You alright?” Eren wondered, his voice slightly slurred from impending sleep.

“Yeah,” Levi sighed, though the sound was content. Really, it would have been nice to remain there in Eren's arms, but certain matters were making themselves immediately known.

It took a few false starts, but once Levi managed to get out of bed to check the stability of his legs, he found that they were still rather shaky, but that he could walk fine. Eren made a protesting noise, but Levi waved his concern away and made his way to the bathroom even if he was both stiff and so unbelievably sore. Eren had really fucked him in every sense of the word. Going to the toilet was an exercise in self discipline as Levi tried not to whimper and ended up laughing faintly at himself and the pitiful state that he was in. The slight pain was nothing compared to the abject relief that he was feeling. Not just from the heat that had subsided somewhat, but everything that had just happened between them. Perhaps it felt a bit like forgiveness.

Sticky with lube, sweat, Eren's blood and his own cum, Levi was eyeing the shower and deciding he would at least get a quick rinse off when Eren came striding into the bathroom. He didn't look any better than Levi with streaks of blood from where Levi had clawed at him without much concern for the marks that he was leaving. It would heal quickly and probably already have a layer of scabbing before the day was over. The bruising Eren had left on Levi's hips was a different matter entirely. Those would probably stay for a long while yet. Looking up, Levi found Eren eyeing those very marks with no little amount of satisfaction. Letting out a huff of air, Levi quickly turned his face away to hide his own small smile of gratification.

Eren hauled Levi into the shower to clean him off and Levi's insistence that he could very well clean himself was met with much the same excuse Hange had used, “why won't you let me do this, Levi?” Eren tried to give Levi his best soulful look, though it failed since the feral, golden glint was still very much there. Scoffing, Levi gave in on the compromise that they would clean each other.

The teasing started innocent enough, until Eren wouldn't bend down properly to allow Levi to rinse out the matted blood from his hair, laughing with mirth as he instead took both of Levi's wrists in one hand and pinned them to the wall. It was an obvious challenge, and an unfair one at that considering Levi's predicament. Anger and desire instantly surged to the forefront and Levi didn't know which of those he wanted to act upon, but his mind simply flat-lined when Eren moved his other hand to place it around Levi's throat. Levi's lips parted and he felt his body grow boneless in Eren's assertive grasp.

Fight, a small voice urged, but Levi brushed it away like an annoying fly. Not here, not now- on this he would give in. There was a lightning flash of gold in Eren's eyes that sent shivers down Levi's spine and he dropped his gaze obediently. His reward was a hungry kiss before he was uncermoniously hoisted up and tossed over Eren's shoulder.

The alpha managed to step out without slipping on the tiled floor and crack both their heads open, his fingers digging painfully into Levi's upper thigh and his claws puncturing the skin ever so slightly. Still soaking wet from the shower, Levi was once again thrown upon the bed, though this time there was no hesitation in the alpha when he pounced. Eren had seemingly finally understood that Levi was not helpless in this and that he didn't have to hold back. The alpha leaned over him with long, dark hair dripping wet and his sharp fangs at full display, eyes shining. Wild. Promising.

The current between them was so strong now, it sizzled across Levi's skin and it felt like he was bathing in flames despite the chilled water clinging to him. Around him the room dipped and twisted and Levi could no longer identify his own position in it. Every sensor in his body had singled in on Eren and the connection between them and coherent thought was becoming impossible to grasp onto.

But there were no reason for Levi to be in control anymore. He let his mind go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Eren POV ⇨
> 
> Ps. Use condoms
> 
> Pps: my anxiety has been acting up something awful lately. It feels like my heart has tried to punch its way through my throat to get at my brain, all the while yelling "I'm gonna whoop yer ass, ye ninny!" Anyone else have these oddly hostile hearts? 
> 
> Take care everyone 💖


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Levi?” Eren questioned and sat back on his heels to stare down at him. A thin, cynical smile spread across Levi's lips and the silvery slits swivelled up to regard him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Eren POV in this one. This boy of ours, am i right? <3 
> 
> [ocean eyes - Billie Eilish](https://open.spotify.com/track/7hDVYcQq6MxkdJGweuCtl9?si=rLiZxyZITguwwJTV-B7U8A)

Levi's skin was so hot now it was almost painful to touch, but even if Eren had gotten blisters from it, he would not have been able to stop. The feel of Levi like this, the intoxicating scent, the way his muscles and tendons rippled under his skin when Eren held him, how warm and welcoming his body was; if one could get addicted to a person, Eren was pretty sure he'd spend the rest of his life chasing this high.

Caressing the red welts on Levi's chest, Eren began to worry if something was wrong despite Levi's assurances that he was alright, that Eren might have gone too far after all. Levi had seemed to enjoy their time together, _a lot_ , and by the gods hadn't Eren enjoyed it too, but Levi was burning up and his breathing was rapid and shallow. Reluctantly pulling his eyes away from the beautiful, red marks, Eren stared into Levi's face and stopped-

The whites in Levi's eyes were disappearing into a black haze, the pupils retracting into silvery, elliptical slits. Stunned, Eren stared until nothing remained of the familiar and beloved eyes of his mate. Levi stretched, languid and full of grace, and he gave a small sigh of contentment.

“Levi?” Eren questioned and sat back on his hunches to stare down at him. A thin, cynical smile spread across Levi's lips and the silvery slits swivelled up to regard him.

“Hello,” Levi murmured. It sounded like him and looked like him, but there was something... something that didn't feel wrong, exactly, but different. Eren had read more than his fair share of descriptions of an omega's heat haze by now, but none of the texts described it quite like this. “I'm glad to see you, _alpha_ ,” Levi whispered and the words that ran from Levi's lips like honey, bypassed Eren's brain and went straight to his spine and gut. Eyes rolling back in his head, Eren's vision flashed dangerously red and he dug his claws into the mattress as he struggled pull himself together again, shaking the lack of control off with a growl of frustration.

Leaning down and pinning Levi underneath him, Eren nuzzled his nose into Levi's neck again and breathed in deep. Besides the soap that they had used to clean themselves, Levi still smelled wholly like himself, a sun dappled field in full bloom- so sweet and enticing, comforting and arousing all at the same time. The words he had spoken made little sense to Eren and now Levi was holding onto him like his life depended on it while also impatiently rubbing his erection against Eren's stomach. Any rational thoughts that Eren could have had went straight out of his brain and he buried the nagging questions deep. The Omega was his first priority, always, and Levi needed something else from Eren now.

Biting down gently on the already bruised skin of Levi's neck to tell him to calm down, Levi gave a huffed mewl in reply but subsided obediently in his writhing. Satisfied with the result, Eren pulled back to get a better look at him, but the only warning he got was a mischievous glint in those uncanny eyes before he was toppled over and straddled. Finding himself so easily overthrown was a somewhat humiliating reminder that underestimating Levi in any capacity was always a stupid thing to do. Perhaps he should have felt ashamed that he fell for that obvious ploy, but the reward was more than worth their switch in position. Levi had to spread his legs wide to be able to comfortably bestride him, resulting in his thighs and abdominal muscles straining tantalisingly with the effort that it took. His black hair was still wet and dripping, but he didn't seem to care much about that anymore, his focus fully trained on Eren underneath him.

“Are you feeling good, Levi?” Eren wondered and Levi tilted his head as he intently listened to what Eren was saying. After a moment Levi righted himself again and nodded a positive “yes”. Seeing such unfamiliar mannerisms in someone he had come to know so well was both thrilling and disconcerting at the same time. It filled Eren with wonder that these two versions of Levi seemed to co-exist in that small, but powerful body. He pondered whether this playfulness was always a dormant part of Levi that he shut away, or if this creature was something else entirely.

“I've waited a long time for you, alpha,” Levi accused, then he pouted nearly petulantly and sighed, “but I waited...”

Eren couldn't argue with that, he had felt the wait just as acutely, and so he uttered the first words that fell into his mind, “you're my good omega, Levi, always.” The words that had previously made Levi flush in both embarrassment and delight now seemed to hit a different nerve. He moved forward in a flash, nose nearly brushing Eren's in his intensity, and even if it was difficult to read the dark swirls that were now his eyes, they appeared accusatory.

“Yours?” Levi wanted to know, and there was definitely a challenge in that word.

“Yes,” Eren insisted. There were a lot of things that hadn't been adding up since he met Levi a month ago, but this, this he knew with a certainty that burned in him. Taking a firm hold of the back of Levi's thighs, hard enough that he was sure it would leave bruises, Eren pulled until Levi overbalanced and fell on top of him. “ _Mine._ ”

Levi hissed and then mewled again, but Eren wasn't about to be fooled a second time. Levi had insisted he was not fragile and up until now Eren had perhaps not fully believed to what extent that was true, but more the fool him, really. Instead he swatted Levi's ass hard enough to send a startled jolt through the smaller body and Levi sighed a small moan of pleasure. Caressing the smooth, but nearly scalding skin of Levi's ass, Eren gave it another sharp rap and the shudder and soft gasp that escaped Levi were divine. Closing his eyes, Eren basked in the feeling of Levi's burning and compact body above him, his scent and his taste and it all clutched at something in him that reached beyond the mundane limits of a corporeal body. No words that he ever read or heard anyone speak could measure up to this feeling.

Their mutual arousal was escalating again and Levi's lips met Eren's as he hungrily demanded entrance into his mouth. Maneuvering one hand in between them, Eren stroked his palm roughly up and down the underside of Levi's very hard cock- he was still wet after the shower and it felt slick and hot where it twitched in Eren's hand. Normally Levi never articulated his emotions verbally, something which had become more of a frustration as of late to Eren, but the heat haze had flipped the coin right around and now he was no longer reserved or hard to read. Where he before might have restrained himself he now pushed into Eren's hand without embarrassment all the while making a feast of his chest, tongue darting around Eren's nipple before he clamped down on it with his teeth and Eren gasped. This amazing little creature of his that so often felt like a misted mirror: showing nothing and revealing nothing, but always with the promise of truth. Eren thought that he often recognized the reflection of his own self in Levi, cast back at him mercilessly and without apology. Likewise, Eren hoped that Levi found something of himself in Eren. But right now, together in bed with Levi who was lost to the haze, it would have been so easy to abuse him. Levi couldn't remember any of it, after all, and that was perhaps the clearest image Eren had ever had of himself: he knew with deep certainty that he would rather die. He would rather sink to the lowest depths of the ocean than take from Levi something that was not freely given. Feeling reverent to the experience that was Levi in heat, Eren brushed at his wet strands and kissed his temple softly.

“I love you, Levi,” he whispered. It didn't matter. He could say out loud everything that existed in his heart here, because Levi wouldn't know. Sitting up, black orbs and silvery light reflected back at Eren as Levi tilted his head again to listen to his voice. There was no surprise or shock on his face, or even happiness or anger, merely mild interest and Eren sighed past the lump in his chest. Levi's attention flickered and his eyes turned hooded, the swirly blackness and silvery pinpoints becoming eerily intense in their scrutiny as he looked down at their bodies meeting. Swollen, red lips parted as he breathed heavily, grinding their cocks against each other before he grabbed them both to spread the precome and making the tips slick. Eren couldn't help but buck into that touch and Levi's upper lip twitched in a half sneer, half smile at Eren's obvious desire for him. Despite the shower and the now cooling water on Eren's flushed skin, sweat trickled down his spine and chest, but Levi was in an even worse predicament with his chest heaving laboriously to take in enough air.

The sight of Levi like this was like a shot of adrenaline to his system and everything but desire got brutaly pushed to the back of Eren's mind. Patience growing dangerously thin, Eren grabbed at Levi since the omega's ministrations were too fucking slow, but Levi had the gal to slap his hand away. Growling up at him, Eren dug his fingers into the muscular thighs, claws nearly breaking through the skin again.

“Either you put my dick in your mouth or you let me do this,” Eren demanded, grabbing the back of Levi's neck and pulling him roughly down again. Levi's cheeks flushed and he licked his lips as he smiled coyly up at Eren like he had every intention of keeping him to that promise. Arching upwards, Eren teased Levi's entrance, wanting him to pine a little more for it as punishment, but Levi reached back and held Eren still against himself before suddenly pushing down, and the both of them gasped in mingled pain and pleasure when Eren suddenly breached his entrance again. It was too tight and hot and Eren's hands quivered on Levi's thighs with the effort it took to not just slam right into him.

“Don't hold back, _alpha_ ,” Levi instructed as he spread his legs further and worked himself down inch by inch. Eren understood now that Levi wanted to be pushed to his limits, that perhaps there was something here that he needed, a need only Eren could fulfill, and wasn't he just too fucking happy to oblige. Levi continued to pour gasoline on Eren's already raging fire and as far as they had pushed each other, stopping now had become impossible. They were both caught in something they could barely control. Levi had already lost his mind to his heat and Eren could feel the edges of rut clouding his vision, bearing down on him relentlessly like a tidal wave. If they both disappeared here neither of them would be safe. Eren could not and would not let go.

With the lack of proper preparations and no added lube, Eren was already becoming sore and even though Levi was still stretched from earlier he felt almost uncomfortably tight. This fusion of pain and pleasure had Eren bucking when Levi's muscles clenched tight around him. But Eren was learning that this thing, this connection, this bond, whatever it was called, it wasn't nice or sweet or tender. It felt like an itch that wouldn't stop even if they scratched themselves bloody. And they were literally clawing at each other until the blood ran red. Something would have to give soon or else Eren feared they would both break.

Leaning his weight on his forearms, Levi clamped his teeth down on Eren's shoulder, biting down hard to bear it when Eren thrust deeper into him, bottoming out in one movement that left them both sweating and panting.

Levi rarely talked much except when he was prompted, and even then it could easily result in nothing if he was in the wrong mood, so Eren had out of necessity learned to pay rapt attention to Levi's much more expressive body and scent. In comparison this new language of his omega had him nearly overwhelmed- it was speaking so loud and clear to him; the arch of Levi's back, the hitch of his breath, the turn of his frown and Eren's new favorite, the pink blush on his face and chest. There were different intonations in his moans and groans whether he was enjoying himself or if he was in actual pain, though both sensations seemed welcome to him. Right then, straddled wide and taken fully, Levi was verging between the two, his breath hitching and his hips completely still while he waited for the waves to settle. Eren followed his lead and remained unmoving, his dick throbbing with the blood trapped there because of how uncomfortably tight Levi was. Trying to take his mind off it and to give Levi the time he needed to adjust, Eren began kissing the side of Levi's head sloppily, tasting the salty sweat on his tongue. Levi grunted and latched his lips onto Eren's instead and as they kissed, he slowly began moving his hips, adjusting and eventually giving Eren the clear by sitting down and pulling all the way up several times in graceful and languid movements that had Eren sigh in pure bliss.

Brushing his hands down Levi's abdomen, Eren took a tight hold of his ass in order to follow the earlier directive of not holding back. Clutching at Levi's hips so that he could not squirm away, Eren began taking him with hard, firm thrusts and the borderline pained whines Levi made quickly turned into wanton moans. The sounds were so sweet it was all Eren could do not to flip them around to better fuck Levi into the mattress, but the omega struggled up into a sitting position and forced Eren's cock impossibly deeper into himself with a sigh of satisfaction. While stroking himself without finesse and obvious desperation, Levi braced his other hand on Eren's knee and leaned his weight back to easier lift his hips higher, giving Eren both more room to move and the perfect view. Eren had fantasized about Levi so, _so_ many times, but nothing his mind had conjured up could measure up to this. The curve of his neck as his head was thrown back in pleasure, the way his thighs quivered under the strain of holding himself up, the way his elegant hands wrapped around his own cock... This sight coupled with the tight hotness of Levi's ass forced the budding heat of his release despite having come not too long ago. Eren debated whether he should pull out since his stamina would not be able to hold up much longer, but he could both see and feel that Levi was close. Thankfully it only took a few more thrusts before Levi tightened up and came all over his hand and pearly white droplets fell down upon Eren's lower abdomen. Crumbling into a boneless heap, Eren caught him as best he could though the small omega was surprisingly heavy. Sitting up, he cradled Levi to his chest and kissed the top of his head tenderly despite his still very pressing, very urgent, need. Levi hummed in contentment deep in his throat and licket at the sweat trickling down Eren's chest before grazing one sharp fang along the collarbone. With Levi it was always tenderness coupled with a cutting undercurrent and Eren knew now that he was both soft enough and strong enough to bear both.

Pulling out, Eren tossed Levi easily down on the bed and the omega let himself be manhandled without any complaints. He'd bared his heart to this creature, this magnificent being who didn't seem to recognize him as anything but alpha. Though, Eren amended quietly to himself, if it was true that Levi had been waiting then their connection must be transcending that of their conscious minds. This had to be more than just the base needs the _no dyms_ claimed this was about. It felt too purposeful, too right. Shaking his head in stern reprimand at himself, Eren trailed the back of his hand down Levi's cheek in a tender caress. The light in the room had become faint, lending a soft cast to Levi's sharp features and his eyes no longer seemed entirely black. They had a tint of blue in them, like the sky just before the sun rose in the horizon and similarly they gave Eren a sense of freedom. The cold hours before dawn that were so long, but promised a new day in the sun.

All this beauty and all Eren could do was marvel at it because he was not an artist- he barely had words to describe it to himself, but the feelings it invoked in him were so profound he knew that after this day he would never be the same. Their first circumstance in meeting had broken something, Eren was sure of that, something that sat dislodged in him and rattled with every memory that wouldn't surface in his mind. It split his mind into fragmented pieces of fear mingled with power, but staring into Levi's swirling and magnetic eyes cemented these disjointed recollections- they were becoming real and no longer half-forgotten nightmares. Eren knew now that he remembered Levi like this- but _more_.

So much more.

“My omega darling,” he cooed as he continued to reverently touch Levi, all the while wondering if it was possible to lose your mind because of love. Levi arched willingly into his touch, seemed to bask in the attention given to him rather than to coolly draw away, and his skin felt like touching a heated stove. The scent of sulfur that always mingled there underneath everything was rising to the point where it was overpowering everything else and the grey in the soft hues of the dispersing light had a tint of red to it. Excitement coiled in Eren's stomach and it would just be so easy to let go, to disappear into the same haze that Levi was currently caught in. It felt like Levi was calling him to that place with every sinful curve of his body, the meekness he affected that always promised something darker underneath, that obedience disguising so much power...

Eren took a long, deep breath that made his head swim before mounting his omega again. There were no reserves in him left- he was as close to a rut as anyone could be without tipping all the way over. He threw Levi's legs over his shoulders and claimed Levi's body for his own, heedless of the small whimpers of pain that were belied in the euphoric look on Levi's face. The strain of welcoming Eren again so soon wound Levi's body tight, but when he finally begun to relax into it again, Eren started thrusting in earnest, shallow at first, but then deeper and harder.

“Fuck yes,” Levi moaned, the intonation in his voice so much like himself despite his hazed eyes. Propping himself up on his elbows, he met Eren in every thrust and when he gazed up into Eren's eyes through his thick lashes, Levi licked his lips before biting into them with a strained groan when Eren slammed into him. His expression of pained pleasure was like a charge through Eren and he did it again, giving Levi a series of vicious pounds while watching him unravel. Levi had a look of concentration on his face as he got fucked, covered as he was in glistening sweat- his hair matted to his forehead and cheeks stained a deep red.

After a while the muscles in Eren's thighs started to seize up, finally reaching the end of his limit, and he had to move to redistribute his weight propped himself up on one elbow. Levi's legs were still over his shoulders which gave him space to put more force into his movements. The tight ring of muscles spasming around the base of his now oversensitive cock sent pulses of pleasure through Eren's body and that all too familiar warmth was already shooting up his spine again. Levi fell back down as Eren leaned over him and when their gazes locked Eren recognized that challenge in the hazy, black eyes. That need.

Grabbing a fistful of Levi's hair, Eren smashed their lips together and pounded hard enough into the smaller body that a soft whimper escaped Levi and he twisted underneath him, clawing into the bedsheets and Eren likewise. When Eren pulled back to look at him again to gauge his state, Levi's eyes were averted and he arched sweetly into the alpha in supplication. Obedience was not something that seemed to come to Levi naturally in either state, so when it was given it felt like even grander the prize.

Eren could feel Levi shaking by the strain his body was put through and his brow was furrowed and his lips parted, letting out a strained ' _ah_ ' every time Eren filled him again. Adjusting the angle slightly, Eren was immediately rewarded with the sound changing into a breathless ' _ungh'_ and a barely contained whine at the back of Levi's throat. With one arm, Levi pushed against the wall above his head to give himself better leverage to take the pounding.

“Harder,” Levi begged, and Eren gave him what he wanted.

Taking a firmer grip on the black strands that were still in Eren's grasp, he pulled Levi's head to the side to bare his beautiful neck and the mere sight of it had saliva gather in his mouth. Since he was not in a rut there were no ways for him to place a mating mark on his omega, yet the desire to do so was making his jaw ache in need. Starting with kisses and light sucking, Eren followed the cues of Levi's expressive body and eventually slowly locked his jaw into the sensitive tendon between the shoulder and neck and bit down on it hard enough to break through the skin. Levi gasped in pain and trashed, but the way the deep moans were quickly followed by a whispered mantra of “ _please, please, please_ ,” spoke to Eren on a level that had nothing to do with his conscious thoughts.

Levi was so tight and his body responded so wonderfully and Eren was taking him so hard now he began to worry that something must be breaking. His balls were tightening dangerously and warmth pooled in his groin, but Eren managed to pull away from Levi's bloody neck long enough to instruct him in a hoarse whisper, “touch yourself.”

Levi complied immediately with a sigh of relief and he must have been close because it only took a couple of strokes before he released all over his stomach while bucking into Eren with a series of gasps and moans. The pulsing of his muscles and the sweet sounds he made wrenched the last restraint out of Eren and he had no choice this time but to give in to it. Pulling back and out of Levi, Eren had just enough time to pump himself to completion, watching with rapt attention as his spunk splattered all over Levi and mingled with the glistening, transparent cum already smeared across his abdomen. This would be the closest he could come to any marking of his omega and mate this time, but the sight of it was beautiful.

There was quiet for a moment after the last shakes had left their bodies and they were just waiting for their breaths to even out and their heads to realign. Levi eventually extracted his legs from over Eren's shoulders and let them fall limply to either side. Returning his attention back to Levi, Eren had to stop and just stare. Levi appeared completely loose and relaxed with an arm covering his eyes while his chest heaved- he was perfectly unrestrained and so gods damned beautiful, skin red with bites and blue with bruises. Eren let his hand trail down the inside of Levi's thigh and across his stomach that was slick with sweat and cum and the scent of that intermingling was both overpowering and euphoric. Eren was sure he'd never be able to scent anything this right or perfect again unless it was with Levi.

“Don't-” Levi muttered, sounding much more like himself and when he peered up at Eren from underneath his arm, the black in his eyes had already turned into a vapid grey, “-I'm gross.” Eren had to laugh.

“You're as far from gross as any person has ever been,” Eren assured him and leaned down for a kiss. Levi met him, warm, breathless and welcoming and even after all the other kisses; the tentative, the passionate, the hungry, this one had the hairs on Eren's neck stand on end. When he finally drew back he trailed further light kisses across Levi's cheek and jaw. Soft this time, and Eren hoped Levi could feel the adoration in them.

“I'm going to the bathroom,” Eren eventually informed him, but Levi's only reply was a slurred murmur.

Sitting on the toilet and leaning his elbows on his thighs, Eren tapped a mindless rhythm with his foot while waiting for his dick to calm down so he could pee. His entire body felt like jelly and he was exhausted both physically and mentally, but so fucking happy. Once his business was done he stepped into the shower for a quick rinse off again and wondered why Levi was taking such a long time since he would definitely be wanting to do the same. Perhaps he needed some assistance getting out of bed...

Eren's musings were answered when he returned to bed and found Levi dead asleep. He had rolled over onto the side facing the window, knees pulled up to his chest and lips slightly parted. His inky hair was a sweaty mess all over the pillow, dark lashes fluttering lightly against pale cheeks and Eren could hear the sound of his deep and even breaths. Despite the open window the room was anything but chill, yet he looked so vulnerable lying there that Eren took some of the covers and tucked him in. Carefully, as not to wake him, Eren got into the bed as well and stretched out on his stomach.

For a while he just watched Levi sleep- the gentle rise and fall of his shoulders calming and Eren traced the bitemarks on his neck with his eyes. They looked rather painful, but they were already tinted blue around the punctures where Eren's fangs had gone through. Frowning, Eren carefully brushed his index finger across one of the welts and found the skin still burning hot. Despite his exhaustion, Eren wondered if he'd ever be able to fall asleep.

Lying there in silence and watching Levi sleep peacefully,Eren reveled in this new feeling of completion. He'd been able to provide the omega with what he needed, but more than that, Levi had accepted him as a mate. Perhaps this was the end of Levi's heat. Something that, Eren had to admit, he certainly hoped because keeping up with an omega during a haze had been exhausting work. If he had been in a rut himself then things would have been different, but Eren was both proud and relieved that he'd managed to keep his mind clear. This moment between them was already overshadowing everything else of their past together, shining bright and golden in his mind.

Outside the sky had turned a dark blue with the setting sun and Eren frowned. Shouldn't Hange be home by now? According to Levi, Hange rarely stayed at the University much longer than until five in the afternoon, but it had to be much later than that. Fumbling for Levi's phone that was lying on the nightstand, Eren did a double take when he discovered that it was in fact half past ten in the evening.

Levi had to be starving- the sudden thought had Eren realize that he himself was hollowed out with hunger as well. Putting the phone down, Eren climbed out of bed in search for his clothes. His sweats were okay but there was nothing salvaging his t-shirt and Eren quickly threw it into Levi's wastebasket before moving over to the door.

Carefully, since he didn't know if anyone were home at all, Eren tried to open the door- but it wouldn't budge. Had they fucking _locked_ Levi's door? Casting his eyes around for inspiration on how to solve the problem, Eren's attention landed on the frame of the door. It looked like someone had literally ripped chunks out of the wood. The chill of anger settled in Eren and he turned to regard the small frame of Levi still sleeping soundly in bed.

What the fuck had happened here?

Had another alpha tried to get in? It could technically have been anyone on the turf, though Eren had a nagging suspicion that it was one in particular. Not bothering to silence the low growl in his throat, Eren gripped the door handle and braced himself against the door frame. The wood was old and it didn't take much for him to rip the lock right through it to open the door. Outside, the long corridor was dark, merely lit by the pale, grey light seeping in from the window at the end of it. Perking his ears, Eren tried to both smell and listen for anyone else in the house, but it was quiet like the grave. If anyone were home they must already have heard him so there was no point in being silent as he descended the stairs. The mystery of the locked door gnawed at him, the anger at what it implied tearing at him like a thorny vine twisting around his spine.

Flicking on the light in the kitchen before rummaging through the fridge, Eren was happy to discover that it was stocked with a large amount of food. Chicken nuggets, burgers, pizza, spring rolls- Hange must have gone rampant buying in food for Levi because this was certainly more than what two people could comfortably eat. Shoving a whole spring roll into his mouth, Eren was about to decide what to bring for Levi and whether there was any point in reheating it when a voice spoke up behind him.

“Eren?”

Startled by the sudden breach of the oppressing silence, Eren swallowed the spring roll nearly whole and struggled to not choke on it until someone slapped him hard enough on the back and it came up again. Forced to chew and swallow the entire spring roll one more time, though this time with tears in his eyes, Eren turned to glare at Hange who merely rolled their own eyes. In one hand they were holding a stun gun and since Eren was occupied on not choking again, he raised an accusatory eyebrow at it.

“I didn't know what state you might be in,” Hange explained and put the stun gun down on the table, “how is he?”

Done chewing, Eren swallowed the spring roll painfully once more and winced as he felt it slide down. Moving quickly over to the sink, Hange filled a tall glass with water from the tap before giving it to Eren who sipped at it gratefully. “Thanks,” he murmured, “Levi is good I think. He's sleeping for now at least.”

Hange's calculating eyes were flickering across Eren's body, landing on the deep claw marks and bites on his neck and back. Their brows were furrowed and they tapped their chin in deep thought.

“What?” Eren asked warily. He hadn't forgotten the locked door or the splintered wood, and as far as he was concerned Hange had a lot of explaining to do. He was not in the least bit in the mood for any cross examination from them.

“Just surprised you didn't get into a rut,” Hange explained and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs with a heavy sigh. “It's been quite some days, that's for sure.”

“Where is he then?” Eren demanded. He didn't feel like sitting down with Hange right now and rather crossed his arms to lean against the kitchen counters. He knew the pose was intimidating, but at the moment he couldn't care less.

“Where is who- oh, Erwin...” Hange sighed again and gazed through window at the pink and orange sky outside. “He's not doing too well right now, actually.” Remaining silent, Eren waited for Hange to continue, which they eventually did, “his rut is a depressive one... so. Mike is with him making sure he doesn't- you know, do something he shouldn't.”

Eren knew that he should be feeling some kind of sympathy at these news, but neither did he feel any glee or victory. It was all just hollow. Not to mention that having a Clan Alpha in a depressive rut posed a threat to the entire clan. Having no leader was a precarious situation at the best of times and they were certainly not in one of those now. At the moment there was nothing Eren could do about it regardless, and even if there was his mind was stuck on one track...

“Did he get to Levi?” The question felt like gravel in Eren's throat, but he needed to ask it. Levi had seemed whole besides the wreckage the heat itself had left on his body, so Eren had no reason to think Levi had fallen prey to Erwin, but, as loathe as he was to admit it to himself, that wasn't his only concern when it came to the two of them.

“No,” Hange declared, “he left before he lost complete control, so you can calm down Eren.”

Uninterested in Hange's patronizing tone, Eren sneered and turned back to the fridge that was still open. He knew that his position right now was between the Clan Alpha and his intended omega and it was a precarious one. The way things were he didn't technically have any right to Levi but- it just sat so wrong with him he couldn't disregard it. What did it even mean to have a _right_ to someone? Who had the right to Levi's body, his talents, his bad humour, his shy smiles? Those were all questions Eren had never really had any need to ask himself before, but now they stood in front of him bold and undeniable.

Did _he_ have any right to Levi? He'd certainly thought so, at one point.

Mind buzzing, Eren shoved another spring roll into his mouth but was mindful to chew it properly this time. Since Levi was still asleep he'd just bring the foods that didn't necessarily need reheating, he concluded. As he busied himself around the kitchen he could feel the skin on his neck and back stretch taught with the claw marks that were attempting to heal themselves. It was always a disconcerting feeling, but he had more important things occupying him right then.

“Do you think Levi's heat is about done?” Hange questioned from where they sat by the table. Eren had already forgotten they were there and nearly startled again.

“I don't know,” he answered honestly, “his haze has finally subsided though.”

“He went into a haze?” Hange inquired in a much higher volume and energy and were suddenly by Eren's elbow, staring up at him with undivided attention. “You're sure?”

Eren considered the question for half a moment. It hadn't looked like what he'd learned in school that it should be like, but despite that he'd known it instinctively for what it was when it happened. There was little doubt in his mind as to what had transpired, yet he was cautious when he answered, “I think so... his eyes hazed over and his entire demeanor changed-”

Hange gripped Eren's arm, surprising him back into silence. “And you _didn't_ go into a corresponding rut?” they asked intently, shaking the arm for good measure.

“No,” Eren insisted and raised one eyebrow in an “ _obviously not_ ” gesture. It wasn't like a rut would pass in a matter of hours.

“Well, Eren,” Hange grinned wide and if Eren hadn't known better he would have said they looked nothing short of victorious, “can you explain to me how an omega you've been interested in for quite some time now can go into a heat haze and you do _not_ go into a rut?”

It wasn't like his body had not wanted to, but now that Eren was giving it some more consideration, he had to admit that he had never been able to shrug off a rut before. Postpone it, sure, but never ignore it completely. There had been some tough few months during his last year of high school when he had been nearly constantly in pre-rut thanks to a girl in his class that he'd taken a fancy to, and she'd been a beta at that.

“What are you getting at?” Eren prodded. Hange wasn't exactly known for being convoluted, but they did tend to assume that everyone else knew what was going on in that brain of theirs and omitted explaining crucial information.

“Don't you see?” Hange gasped and finally let go of the arm they had been kneading to pull at their own ponytail instead. “Levi's heat has been so potent even _I_ have felt it, Eren. Mike can't walk on this side of the street anymore, Erwin was thrown right into a rut, and yet you're standing here in my kitchen shoving spring rolls down your gullet seemingly completely unconcerned- why is that? What happened between you two when you were at the Ackermans?”

“I-” Eren began, but any further words got stuck in his throat and he turned away. Hange's manic glint made him feel nauseous and he wanted nothing more than to let the subject drop. But he had been wondering... “Why, do you think that has anything to do with any of this?”

The question ticked something off in Hange who suddenly began rubbing at their face in apparent exhaustion. Shoving their glasses up onto their head had their bangs standing out in crazy angles, allowing Eren to finally see all the red and broken vessels in Hange's tired eyes.

“You're a clever guy Eren,” Hange insisted, “you know Levi is different from what anyone of us has come to expect form an omega, I've seen the literature you're letting him read-” Eren opened his mouth to say something, but Hange waved for him to be quiet, “-but Levi is not the only one acting different here. The common denominator so far has been that Levi's heat triggers an immediate reaction, but for some gods damned reason I can't figure out, not in you. _You_ , of all people. Do you understand? And the only thing different between you and, let's say Erwin, is that you've already been intimate with Levi through a rut. So- I have to conclude that the x we're looking for in this equation lies in that incident, don't you agree?”

Done talking, Hange finally took a deep breath and grabbed a slice of pizza that was lying on a plate on the kitchen counter and chewed on it thoughtfully. They were making a good point, Eren had to admit. Perhaps something that already existed between Eren and Levi had let him avoid a rut in this instance. It still didn't explain why it was a big enough deal to have Hange so worked up. There was obviously something here Hange wasn't telling him about, either because they thought he didn't need the information or because they were still working it out in their mind. If Eren hadn't been so exhausted he might have prodded them further, but right now all he wanted was to sleep next to Levi. Levi, who was lying upstairs unprotected in his sleep-

“So you're absolutely sure you don't remember anything?” Hange's hands moved in a manner that indicated that they really wanted some pen and paper. The little amount of patience Eren had managed to hold on to, snapped.

“I was in a fucking rut,” Eren growled, “so what do you think, big brain?”

“Geese Louise, as the _no dyms_ say,” Hange sighed in exasperation and Eren barely managed to refrain from correcting them.

“Why don't you talk to Levi about it, then?” Eren grunted instead. “He was actually conscious at the time, so you'd get better answers out of him.”

“Yeah _right_ -” Hange actually laughed in his face, “-you honestly think I could get Levi to talk about something like that?” Despite being slightly affronted, Eren could admit that the chances of getting Levi to talk was pretty slim.

“I don't remember anything that's worth talking about,” Eren amended, “they are mostly just impressions- ”

“Perhaps it would be worth sitting you both down to talk about it,” Hange mused, “maybe Levi could help with your memories and you could help Levi to open up a little, he's much sunnier around you- well, less like a tiny asshole, anyway.”

Eren couldn't really think of a thing he wanted to do less than have Levi tell him about everything that happened in that cell. All the things that he did while his mind was not his own. The sour bile that had been churning in his stomach rose to his throat and to distract himself he grabbed the plate of pizza. “I am heading up to Levi now, I'll be staying the night if that's alright with you.”

“Uh, sure,” Hange consented, already distracted by something they were typing at rapid speed on their phone, “I'll be sleeping in the study I think since the sound doesn't carry down here, thankfully.”

Grimacing at the implication, Eren headed back upstairs. So Erwin was in a rut and Mike couldn't even come close to the house anymore. That wasn't really information Hange should divulge in another alpha, but then perhaps they accurately guessed that Eren was much more occupied with Levi. Yet he filed the information away, regardless. This situation could easily have resulted in a coup in any other clan and Eren was coming to understand better and better why Erwin had denied omega on his turf in the first place. If only one omega could cause this much trouble... but then again, Levi was something else, Eren was certain.

The door was still ajar after Eren had ripped it open and the room was cast in dark shadows. The last fuzzy light of sundown fell on Levi where he now lay sprawled eagle on his stomach, having tossed around in the covers. Placing the plate of food on the sparsely furnished dresser, Eren sat down on the bed and prepared to wake Levi to get some sustenance in him. He hadn't eaten for what Eren guessed had to be over twenty four hours soon, and even Levi had to be at the end of his reserves.

Twirling some of the still damp strands around his fingers, Eren sat for a while just petting Levi's head. He was still burning up and there was a concentrated frown on his face that either spoke of pain or a hectic dream. Perhaps the heat wasn't fully over yet after all. But that was fine, they'd get through it together.

“Levi?” Eren tried, but there was no response. Leaving the long strands, Eren let the buzzed hair at the back of Levi's head tickle the sensitive pads of his fingers. Levi's breathing had turned rapid and when Eren moved his hand to the scales lining his graceful spine, Levi squirmed slightly. Whatever he was dreaming about, it didn't seem pleasant. Eren just hoped Levi would have time to eat something before the haze took a hold of him again.

Unable to help himself, Eren trailed the path of scales, black against white, cool against hot, down towards the dip of his spine. Eren didn't think he'd ever get his fill of seeing Levi's naked body. It was both as graceful and elegant as it was muscular and powerful. Brushing the cover aside to give himself more skin to touch, Eren was gripped by icy cold shock. The shiver quickly gave way to heated blood and all Eren could do was gape as the adrenaline rushed through his veins.

Where Levi's spine should have ended it now elongated into what Eren could only think of as a tail. The new limb was nearly the entire length of Levi himself and covered in the same shimmering, black scales as his spine. Eren's vision swam and he had to remind himself to breathe. When he gingerly touched it, it felt just as physically present as the rest of Levi's body and pulling on it likewise proved that it was, in fact, firmly attached. The ministrations annoyed Levi in his sleep and the tail suddenly twitched out of Eren's limp grasp and Levi muttered something incoherent into the pillow. The endearingly cute gesture in face of such absurdity scrambled Eren's brain into somewhat working order and he shook Levi's shoulder decisively.

“Levi!” Eren called insistently until Levi fumbled around in his sheets and peered up at him with sleepy and hooded eyes.

“Wha..” Levi demanded groggily, “lemme alone.”

“Levi- you have a fucking tail,” Eren urged and pointed at the limb in question. Thankfully Levi's eyes were their usual clear blue even if they were unfocused with sleep.

“I have a what?”

“A tail, Levi.” Eren grabbed the tip of the tail and held it up for Levi to see. “You have a. fucking. _tail_.”

For a moment Levi just laid there staring incomprehensibly at the scaly thing in Eren's hand until Eren pulled at it and he winced in pain. Slowly his gaze traveled the length of the appendix until it reached his spine and he sat bolt up right. Snatching the tail from Eren's hand, it twitched in agitation. Something like dawning panic was edging into Levi's features but the only word leaving his lips was a monotone, “fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone's summer are doing alright, despite the current circumstances? I hardly even blinked and then summer was gone... oh well. Maybe next year? Continue to take care of yourselves everyone ❤️
> 
> Ps, just went back to edit a really stupid typo/mistake and it's like- why am I even allowed to even post past midnight? 😂 That's when I become a gremlin and everything I touch becomes a gremlin, also.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The professor stood by the door with both their hands covering their mouth to keep the sounds back. Levi would have understood shock, or horror, or even revulsion, but the expression on Hange's face was decidedly one of glee._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it has been a while. I realised that I've been writing on this story for over a year now, and it has been a looooongggggg fucking year hasn't it? It was good to finally find some peace and return here, so I really want to thank everyone who has been following this far. Also I really want to thank those who have checked in with me in my absence, your comments and kind words means so much to me ♥♥♥

The sudden addition to his body twitched eerily in Levi's hand. What the absolute fuck? Rubbing the small of his back with the hand not currently busy clutching at what was undeniably a tail, Levi's mind finally registered that it was hurting something awful. Levi suspected that wasn't only the fault of his added appendage though. All of him was aching.

"Fuck,” Levi muttered again. He didn't really have any other words that better summed up the situation.

With some effort he managed to climb out of bed and stood on unsteady legs that were screaming at him to give it a rest, to get into bed again and let his body heal. The feeling of having the tail follow him was more than disconcerting, it was appalling, and it was surprisingly heavy. It threw his balance off and he had to consciously redistribute his weight to make up for it.

“Do you think it's permanent or d'you think it works more like your scales?” Eren wondered, his voice uncharacteristically weak.

“Well it fucking better not be permanent,” Levi answered and scowled at it, his mind in shambles as he tried, but failed, to fully digest that it was an actual part of his body. It twitched again and Levi's upper lip rose into a grimace of distaste. Eren's question raised a worry Levi hadn't had time to contemplate yet. If this tail was anything like his scales then there should be a way for him to control it. Learning how to summon and discard the scales had been easy when he was a child, yet Levi still struggled to remain in control when he got doused in pheromones. To imagine that a tail would now grow out of his spine whenever a situation got dangerous was nothing short of horrifying. _Shit_. This wasn't something Levi was equipped to deal with when he was just coming out of a heat haze. Mind still fuzzy, Levi could do nothing more than stand there and dumbly stare at the tail. _Tail_.

“Should I get Hange?” Eren questioned as the silence stretched out between them. He was still kneeling on the bed and his dishevelled hair and wide, blue eyes gave him a look of utter bewilderment.

“Hange is home?” Levi turned to stare out the window and noted with a sinking heart that it was past sundown. Of course Hange was home, they must have been for quite some time, Levi realised.

“Yeah... I , uh, talked to them for a bit in the kitchen,” Eren supplied, “until they started asking a lot of personal questions, at which point I hightailed it- uh, sorry.”

There had been plenty of times in Levi's life when he'd really wanted to punch someone in the face, but that moment trumped them all. Eren visibly blanched away from Levi's threatening look and inched further back on the bed, hands held up in supplication, but a saucy grin quickly spread on his pretty face regardless. Levi blamed the heat that he didn't have it in him to follow up on giving Eren a sound smack across the head.

“Anyway, should I get Hange?” Eren repeated, finally rousing himself out of his shocked stupor to get up from the bed

“There's crusted, dry cum all over me, Eren,” Levi pointed out as he gesticulated at himself and the general state that he was in. It was nothing short of disgusting and the sudden appendage seemed almost secondary in light of it. Through the dull mud that was the world around him now, there were bright flashes of insight in which Levi recognized himself. The tail was a strange intrusion that he couldn't wrap his mind around, but being _unclean_ , now that Levi knew how to deal with. He grasped onto this small sense of familiarity with everything he had.

“Then go wash, gods,” Eren sighed, impatient in a way Levi hadn't quite experienced him before. Levi set his jaw and took a small step backwards. “You just grew a _tail_ , Levi, how can you be this nonchalant about it?”

Staring at the tail once again, Levi had to admit that its existence transpired to him more as an absurd dream than reality. It wasn't particularly thick in circumference, but it was long, reaching to the floor where it curled. Frowning, Levi tried to move it. It felt a bit like when he had first learned to wriggle his ears and the muscles were unused and weak. There was a small sense of victory when it moved, though it did so in the complete opposite direction from what Levi had intended it to. The remnants of heat clouding his judgement and mind was probably a factor in muting what should have been a much more violent reaction. But as it was, Levi sat down heavily on the bed again, grunting when he had to manually move the tail as not to sit on it.

The bed dipped with the weight of Eren settling down behind him and Levi breathed out a content hum when the alpha tugged at his hair to tilt his head to the side. Eren's fingers clawing at his scalp had his body instantly awakening again despite the bone deep exhaustion. If Eren had pulled him down to claim him again he wouldn't have minded it one bit, but all the alpha did was to carefully touch the pulsing bite marks on Levi's neck. They felt sore and was itching something awful, but they weren't exactly painful.

“They're healing already,” Eren pointed out, his voice sounding dubious at what he himself was witnessing, “there's already fibrous tissue on them.”

“Accelerated healing... like an alpha,” Levi murmured. This was making less and less sense to him, he had never heard about anything like this.

Eren kissed the top of his head, “I'm getting Hange, I don't give a fuck what you have to say.” He left the room with those words and Levi spent a moment just massaging his temples in an effort to stave off the headache that was beginning to clutch at his skull.

Eventually he managed to get up, cursing his tail as it dragged after him towards the bathroom. He was too unsteady to really walk on his own and had to clutch at his dresser and door frame to keep himself upright. Finally inside the bathroom he stared longingly at the tub- what wouldn't he give for a long, hot bath right about then? The tub wasn't really large enough to fit both him and Eren comfortably but... his heart squeezed tight and so he turned towards the sink and grabbed a nearby towel instead. All of that would have to wait, because Eren wasn't about to listen.

There was a scrambling of hurried footsteps ascending the stairs just as Levi got the worst of Eren's eager ministrations off his chest and abdomen and he sighed further when he heard Hange's voice rise and fall at rapid speed.

“What are you even _saying_ Eren, you make no sense! Is Levi hurt somehow?” Hange demanded. “And stop pulling my arm so hard.”

“You're gonna thank me for this Hange, just you wait,” Eren declared and Levi heard the door to his bedroom smash into the wall with the force used to open it. His door that he could close and lock, now nearly ripped off its hinges. Levi looked at himself in the mirror and blanched at the face that stared back at him. Pale with fatigue, bruised, battered and sore- it was all too familiar. “Levi, are you dressed?” Eren called through the half-closed door to the bathroom and Levi threw his towel into the sink.

Hange had placed his laundry in a basket by the shower, probably too daunted by his strict folding regimen to give it a try. Levi rummaged around in it until he found a pair of underwear and some sweats, but when he pulled them on he was immediately thwarted by the gods fucking damned tail. He could conceivably get them on to at least cover the basics, but the fabric bunched immediately and he just knew the chafing was going to get unbearable. This fucking thing should have stayed secret knowledge. Growling low in frustration, Levi threw the tail over his shoulder and made his way out of the bathroom, fully intent on giving the both of them a piece of his mind, but the tail twisted unnervingly and curled around Levi's throat. Trying to wrench the tail off himself while he at the same time stumbled to the floor, Levi glared up at Eren, “if it doesn't disappear by itself we're fucking cutting it off!”

Kneeling next to Levi, Eren took the offending tail and unwrapped it from around his neck. The scent of him so close had Levi's eyes turn heavy and the fight went out of him as drowsiness overtook. He just wanted to sleep. Resting his head on Eren's shoulder, Levi was unfortunately reminded that they had another guest in the room when a loud gasp ended on a high pitched squeal that cut itself off. Why couldn't Eren have waited just a little bit longer before he ran off to get Hange? The professor stood by the door with both their hands covering their mouth to keep the sounds back. Levi would have understood shock, or horror, or even revulsion, but the expression on Hange's face was decidedly one of _glee_.

“He was fucking _right_ ,” Hange giggled from behind their hands, shaking their head in disbelief, “Erwin was fucking right- you _are_ of the Old Blood, Levi.”

Pushing his nose into Eren's neck, Levi tried to will it all away. He was not able to deal with Hange's insanity right now. Whatever all this meant, it could wait for tomorrow. But as usual, Eren had other ideas.

“You know about these things?” Eren asked Hange sounding both surprised and dubious, “because I've never heard of any dynamic growing an actual tail out of their spine...”

For a long while there was no reply from Hange as they stood staring at Levi, their mouth working on something that they couldn't vocalize. Eventually they shook their head again and rammed their glasses further up their nose, hands visibly shaking with the effort it took them to suppress their excitement.

“This room is setting off all my survival instincts,” Hange finally said, “I'm just waiting for you to rip my throat out at any moment Eren and I've had enough of that, so let's head downstairs. There's so much- there's just _so_ much...” Without waiting for their response, Hange bolted out of the room calling over their shoulder, “I need to get my camera, I need to take pictures of this before it disappears.”

Levi dug his claws into Eren's shoulder in petty revenge, but the alpha merely dislodged them before picking Levi up to follow Hange downstairs. There was a ruckus coming from their study and Eren walked towards it with Levi still perched in his arms. Complacence and drowsiness had taken over, leaving him lethargic to the point where he couldn't be bothered to complain about the handling.

“That feels so weird,” Eren suddenly muttered into Levi's ear, and when he peered down he found his tail curling around Eren's leg. The warmth of the alpha felt like the sun when it shone on his scales and Levi stifled a sleepy yawn. Why did they have to make so much noise?

“Just put him down here on my desk,” Hange ordered when Eren entered the study and unceremoniously shoved everything that was already on said desk to the floor. Eren did as instructed while Hange quickly applied a new lens to their camera.

Placed on the table like a glorified object to be studied in the name of science, Levi glared at both Hange and Eren who was staring back at him with unbridled curiosity. On Eren's face there were also a note of concern in the crease of his brow. Perhaps also suppressed anger in the way his eyes darted quickly to Hange intermittently.

This was ridiculous, Levi thought, the tail was beyond ridiculous and Levi was pretty certain that if he just got to sleep a bit, then it would disappear. It was nothing to make a fuss about- a once in a lifetime abomination. Eren's warm hands cradled his head and tilted it upwards so that their eyes met and the muscles in Levi's body grew immediately compliant. Any thoughts of escaping the humiliation left his mind.

He must have fallen asleep, though he swore he had only blinked once, because when he opened his eyes again Hange was already fluttering about, nattering to themselves and taking pictures, “if I could just get a good zoom in on where the first vertebrae connects to the spine- keep your tail still Levi, I can't get it into focus!”

The tail had begun twitching about on the desk in time with Levi's resurfacing annoyance and lack of patience with their bullshit. A vague sense of dread was beginning to build in him. Knowing Hange, this would be published in every academic paper and feature in their books and they'd broadcast the information far and wide. The exact thing Kuchel had warned him so adamantly about. Don't show anyone and don't ever let the _no dyms_ see.

“It's a bit like a cat tail, isn't it,” Eren said. He still stood in front of Levi, warm and comforting, cradling him and massaging his temples and the back of his head. “In the way that it's so expressive, I mean.”

“I'm not a cat,” Levi muttered. “What was that shit you were spouting about old blood?”

“The Old Blood is what we've dubbed the genealogical lines passed down through a string of omega families,” Hange instantly began lecturing while focusing on the screen of the camera. It sounded like something they must have said a million times before. “It is a theory some of us in the dynamic community has been trying to advocate for a while, but it has been firmly shut down by the _no dym_ sector of academia... _unsurprisingly_.” The derisive flair in Hange's tone ever only surfaced when they spoke of _no dyms_ brute-forcing themselves into dynamic sciences. Levi could feel Hange pull at his tail and tried to turn around to see what they were doing, but Eren held him firmly in place. Looking up into his alpha's face again, Levi was met with brilliant turquoise eyes and a warm smile, and he ceased the small struggle.

“The theory of the Old Blood is considered superstitious and nothing but hearsay, you know, much like _no dyms_ have documented evidence that the witch hunts took place, but they don't believe the people killed were actually witches with magical powers,” Hange continued, “likewise they don't believe in the theory that there are omega with certain... capabilities. There weren't all that much research on dynamics before the culling of omegas since our communities were so segregated, whatever knowledge they had was never written down. Or if it was, it got destroyed.”

Hange was quiet for a moment, either to catch their breath or to think, so Levi took it as his chance to shoot a question, “and you think I might be of the Old Blood because of this ridiculous tail?”

“Don't forget your accelerated healing, too,” Eren supplied and Levi scowled up at him. As if Hange needed any more ammunition.

“Your what?” Hange squealed as if on cue and Levi rolled his eyes.

“These are from earlier today,” Eren informed them and moved his hand to trail his fingers across Levi's neck. He barely managed to hold back a shiver, his skin breaking into goosebumps immediately at the touch. Whatever the heat had done to him, he was overstimulated and too receptive to anything that had to do with Eren. There was a fluttering of fear again in his chest, but he was distracted from it when Hange's hands clamped down on him instead.

“Are you shitting me right now?” Hange gasped, the lecturer voice completely gone. “This is absolutely brilliant- it fits so perfectly with Nana's theory of hereditary abilities between the dynamics! You must have gotten this from Eren!”

Eren tilted Levi's head to the side to allow Hange to take more pictures, though Levi noticed the slight brine in his scent, indicating that he was not happy with the beta's close proximity.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Levi sighed and finally gave in to his need to lean his aching head against Eren's chest again. He smelled so good. Why couldn't they just go back to bed?

“You know what I think?” Hange asked instead of answering as the shutter on their camera clicked away eagerly, “I think your powers are manifesting further because of something in Eren, there has to be a symbiosis going on here.”

“ _I_ don't really feel any different though,” Eren said contemplatively. His fingers were idly caressing the nape and back of Levi's head, making it difficult for Levi to keep his eyes open. At that moment he was certain that the world could collapse around them and he wouldn't move an inch if Eren didn't tell him to.

Hange hum'ed and the snaps from their camera finally turned quiet. “There are certain fields of study that's kept pretty hush-hush, for obvious reasons, and nobody really take us serious but-” Hange put down the camera and began rummaging through their bookshelves, “-we began looking into this back when the Zöe clan still operated, and thankfully Erwin was intrigued enough that he agreed to help Nana and I advance it. We weren't able to salvage much from the wreckage, but believe it or not, I got most of it stored in here-” Hange tapped the side of their head, “-yet there is only so much you can get out of rumours and folk tales, after all.”

Finally, Hange found the tome they were looking for; a huge book with a spine that was as thick as Levi's arm and when Hange threw it down on the desk a cloud of dust rose into the air.

“Most people don't believe in this anymore,” Hange prefaced as they leafed through the thick pages searching for whatever it was that they wanted to show. “I guess the _no dyms_ of the medieval era got what they wanted when they nearly stamped the magic out of us... Well, that's what _they_ call it anyway. “Magic” or “devil possession,” if they are so inclined.”

Possession. Hange said it with a breezy air and a roll of their eyes, but the word latched onto Levi and snaked its way under the comfortable drowsiness. With it came a coldness and a wakefulness, a sense of familiarity. It twisted around his spine wanting to break free, to be in charge again. Levi looked back up at Eren, wanting to feel that anchoring point. His alpha was there, clear eyes intent and searching into his own. Did he sense it, too?

“Yes, here it is... look at this,” Hange urged and turned the tome around for Eren and Levi to better see what they were pointing at. It was a rather old photograph of a cave wall and on it was a painting. It looked both juvenile and artistic; even though the lines were thick they were organic, nearly ready to come alive there on the cold, dead stone. To Levi it looked like any other cave painting he'd ever seen in his history books, though this particular one was unfamiliar to him. Levi understood why this held a special interest to Hange. It was eerily familiar to several of the illustrations Levi had seen in Eren's book. Three humanoid creatures in which one of them had horns and a tail- a tail much like Levi's. All of this seemed less and less like coincidences. Levi traced his finger over the shape of the dark creature and the cogwheels were beginning to slowly grind in his brain. was this what the omega was supposed look like then? His other form... Pulling his attention away from it, Levi regarded the whole picture. The largest of the humanoids had what looked like wings extending the entire breadth of the painting. Its feathers were splayed out like a preening peackock's and Levi wondered if they were supposed to be a part of the creature itself, or if they were merely decoration.

“This is the controversial cave painting found in the vast cave system underneath Mithras-” Hange made a so-so gesture with their hand, “-dated to around sixty thousand years ago, making it one of the oldest cave paintings that we know of!” Hange sounded breathless as they stared at the very painting they were describing. “It was assumed for the longest time in the dynamic community to depict the alpha, beta and omega-” Hange pointed at each humanoid in turn, “-until the Vatican claimed that it was actually a divine painting of demons, nephalim and angels, which became the ruling consensus until another group of _no dyms_ countered that if that was the case, then the Vatican had to admit that humans had been alive for much longer than their estimated six thousand years and, as you can imagine, _that_ didn't go down well. Now, scientists don't know what to make out of it; they can't admit that they are dynamics since to them that “magic” is impossible, but neither can it be divine.”

Alpha, beta and omega. And somehow Levi had this old blood that made him like these ancient creatures. Maybe it should be more surprising to him than it was.

“Do you see these darker recessions?” Hange asked and pointed at the middle human's head. Peering closer, Levi could see that there were darker shadows where their eyes should have been. “It is believed that there were originally precious gems there, but that they got scavenged long ago. Pretty interesting, right?”

“So, what you're saying is that based on this old cave painting then Levi's sudden appendage is... natural?” Eren questioned sceptically. “Why haven't we seen this before? Why hasn't it been talked about before? There is nothing that testifies to-”

“And how much of what you've read in your so called science books have been written by _no dyms_?” Hange interrupted, slamming their hand down on their book with a loud whack before pointing at Levi with the other. “You're holding the fucking proof!”

Eren's hold around Levi tightened unconsciously and his scent rose to meet Hange's challenge.

“It's not like this is new to any of us who have studied it for a long time,” Hange sighed, suddenly sounding tired as they flopped down in their office chair. “We have been searching and searching for an omega of the Old Blood... for the longest time we thought there might be one in the Reiss clan but then, hah, it turned out it was the Ackerman clan all along.” Steepling their hands, Hange placed their chin on their hands and the smile on their face was almost sinister. “You did a good job, Eren, bringing your omega here. And I was right! Erwin and Nana hoped that Levi was yet unbonded but I suspected from the moment I saw you two together-”

“What do you mean 'you suspected?'” This time it was Levi's turn to interrupt, his blood had run cold at Hange's turn of phrase: un _bonded_. “You told me you thought Eren had been fixating since the beginning!”

“Well _yes_ of course he obviously had,” Hange agreed, leaning back in their chair and looking between them, then their expression turned shrouded. “A bond can be broken if it is newly formed without too much lasting damage... I'm so sorry Levi, it was my job to try but I-”

Whatever Hange wanted to say, they were interrupted when Eren grabbed a hold of the front of their shirt and hoisted them over the desk like they were nothing but a flimsy doll. He had quickly grown in his anger, the sweatpants straining around his hipbones and the brine was thick in the air. It smelled not only of anger, but also of fear. One massive, clawed fist rose in the air and would have connected with Hange's head hard enough to shatter their skull, but Levi was quick enough to seize Eren's wrist in a vice grip. He was nearly thrown off the desk with the velocity of the punch, but it was enough to halt it before it connected with Hange.

Levi's own heart was in his throat as emotions coiled in him. _Bond_.He would have scoffed at it as so much romantic bullshit at any other time, but hearing it now it settled cold and heavy in him. By hearing it spoken out loud he could feel the truth of it with every fibre of his being.

With the brutal shift in perspective he suddenly realised that the fear and anger he felt wasn't only his own, it was Eren's also. Had Levi felt it all this time but thought it was his own? It was so clear now that the currents that ran through him were different, they beat against his mind like relentless waves. Levi could barely breathe under the onslaught as it descended on him.

Pushing himself off the desk, Levi tried to find his balance and pulled the tail after himself. His sudden distance distracted Eren from his pursuit of Hange and the large alpha turned towards Levi, pale red eyes searching, giving Hange enough time to scurry away and around the desk again into relative safety. The air was like greasy syrup and nothing of it reached Levi's lungs as he heaved. How could this be, there were no marks on either of them. No bond had been made- yet it was undeniable. He saw the same certainty in Eren's eyes, the redness in them revealing how close he was to slipping into a rage. Levi knew that scent intimately. Had smelled that frustrated, captured anger on him before; his alpha who had broken free of the bonds that had trapped him in that cell. And for what? To be bound again against his will? Without his consent?

Levi clawed at the fucking book with the pictures and threw it as hard as he could towards the wall. The force of his throw had more books dropping to the floor with loud thuds.

“FUCK!” Levi yelled, and because it only itched at the deep tidal waves crashing through him, he grabbed another object, not caring to see what it was before he threw it.

It hadn't been a choice at all. There had never been a _choice_. Not for either of them.

He wanted to claw his own skin off, rip the hair out of his skull, gnaw through his veins, anything to feel something beyond the claustrophobia. Levi didn't notice the summoned claws as he began to tear into himself, not until Hange grabbed a hold of his wrists and pulled them to their own chest.

“Levi, Levi, Levi,” Hange chanted his name, “what the fuck are you doing?”

“It's called a bond for a reason, isn't it,” Levi spat, the searing anger turning into cold ice in his gut.

“It-” Hange began, but their hold on his wrists slacked as their mind raced to catch up with Levi's words. After taking a deep breath, Hange continued, “it's just a word, and considering the heavy influence of _no dyms_ , a lot of the words we use for what we experience is just plain wrong. Books are full of bullshit, you say so yourself.”

Wringing his hands out of their limp grasp, Levi turned to pace the room or to get out, he didn't know which. His teeth were grinding against each other from the effort it took to keep everything on the inside. But just as he took a step he unbalanced from the weight of his fucking ridiculous new appendage and he was just about to tear the fucking thing off forcefully when Hange called for his attention again-

“If you could name what you have with Eren, what would _you_ call it?” Hange asked, gasping in air. The angry scents trapped in the room were getting to them too.

Of all the people to be with when something like this happened, it had to be an off their rocker beta with a hard on for scientific research. Grabbing his stupid, fucking tail so it didn't overbalance him again, Levi scowled at it while he gave the question some honest thought. He was painfully aware of Eren in the room, though the alpha had yet to move from his spot. Levi didn't want to look at him right now. He felt repulsed.

Levi had thought he knew what it was Eren and him had started to build, but it was embarrassing to say out loud. Too private, suddenly. Despite himself, Levi glanced over at Eren. It looked like the alpha wanted to cry and to kill them both all at the same time. At the moment, Levi would only have minded the former.

“Connection,” Levi eventually muttered.

“Yeah,” Hange agreed, wiping some matted hair away from their sweaty forehead, “that _do_ sound better, doesn't it.”

“But how... there are no marks?” Levi wondered and he sagged, the anger draining out of him together with the last of his energy.

“I don't honestly know,” Hange admitted, grabbing Levi's elbow to help him stand, “that's a few of the questions I was hoping you'd help us find an answer to. What happened, Levi? You still haven't told us.”

What happened? Levi knew what they were referring to, but his mind stuttered to a blank. What had happened? He didn't know. His body bruised and torn. Exhausted. What had happened? The only one who knew had been Traute, and she was dead. Shot by _Levi_... because she'd tried to kill his alpha. Of course that made perfect sense now. Closing his eyes tight, Levi shook his head.

“This really isn't the time to be tight lipped abou-”

“I don't remember,” Levi barked, “I don't fucking remember, okay?” He was feeling sick and drained and there was only one thing he wanted, the same thing that he knew beyond a doubt that he also did _not_ want right now: Eren.

Maybe he made a sound, maybe it was his scent or maybe Eren could feel him the same way the currents ripped Levi apart from the inside, whatever it was, he found himself picked up and thrown over a shoulder as he was carried out of the room. Clutching at the muscular back riddled with scar tissue, Levi burrowed his face in Eren's neck and his mind stilled. Somewhere, Hange was saying something, but neither Levi nor Eren paid it any attention. It could wait, whatever it was. For a short second Levi wondered if he was being carried out of the house and perhaps a small part of him desired just that, but Eren merely returned them back upstairs. Back to the broken door and the ridiculous flowery draperies, but it smelled like them.

The silence was oppressing.

Turning, Levi carefully made his way over to the bed and folded down upon it. He was at his limit. Clawing into the already ruined mattress, he tried to break to the surface of his mind, to find the divider between him and Eren. So much anger and frustration and grief, where was he supposed to put it all? A hand curled around his throat and Levi sat very quietly, staring up into Eren's eyes to see the pale salmon pink of his eyes flush into deep crimson.

The question had stopped being whether Levi could get away, it had become: did he want to?

There was a call in the blood-red gaze. The hand around his neck could crush his bones in an instant. The omega answered it.

His heart slammed in his chest, hard, heavy, unbearably- once, twice, thrice, then stopped before accelerating and the blood gushed through his veins until it felt like they would burst. A trickle of fluid dripped from his nose, scarlet spreading like blooms on the stained sheets. Gasping, there were barely any air that could reach his aching lungs past Eren's hand.

The room turned dark, but Eren shone brighter than the sun.

Levi knew his retinas had to be searing, but the pain didn't reach him. He could not look away. In his peripheral vision he noticed small, pale shapes in the wall that scurried away. Rats. Somewhere downstairs he could hear Hange sip their tea. But superimposed on all these impressions was the centre of his conscious: Eren.

Levi didn't speak, but he could hear his voice murmur, “alpha, ease.”

Eren tilted his head. His scent spoke of violence and Levi's body was pliant to it, he knew that he could easily accommodate his alpha's desires even now that he was at his limits. They had been made for each other, after all. But Eren had heard him and let go of Levi's throat, if only to push him down instead. Levi remained unresisting. Eren was bordering on a rut and Levi knew that he could easily be brought over that edge if that is what he wanted. But like an insistent moth, his own thoughts kept pattering against the mind seized by the omega. There were pathways here that he could control and the dreamlike state turned lucid as Levi slowly moved his fingers and twisted them into Eren's hair. The light that shone from the lamps in the room was pitiful compared to the halo shining from his alpha.

On the roof, a bird of prey landed and made an easy meal of a too curious mouse. Levi heard the faint cry of its dying panic.

It was an awakening. He was sensing the world truly for the first time. Possession.

The heat must have left him susceptible to it. Ready to be inhabited and their bond strengthened. But the panic and anger and frustration from Eren tasted like ashes in his mouth. How much of what had happened the past month had been theirs and how much was influenced by the bond? On that stormy day, had Levi followed because he was exhausted and at his wits end or had all other paths already been barred from him?

“ _You did a good job, Eren, bringing your omega here,_ ” Hange's words warped and turned ugly in his memory. Just a word...

Eren rested his forehead on Levi's chest and his shoulders shuddered under the strain of heaving in air. He was fighting for control and it sounded like he was drowning.

Moving his jaw and mouth felt like he was breaking them free from marble and he had to concentrate to remember how to activate his vocal cords, but in the end Levi whispered a broken, “Eren.”

Red eyes slowly swiveled up to meet him and they glimmered like rubies behind the curtain of hair in the shadowy haze of Levi's vision. The size of Eren made the bed creak disconcertingly in protest when he moved. Fear mingled with deep desire and pride in Levi's gut and he did not know nor care whether it was him or the omega. Now they were one and the same. The answer he found in himself revealed the question: “ _does this alpha have what it takes?_ ”

The gap in Levi's memory was suddenly filled. The omega had taken over that night and accepted this alpha as its bondmate. But neither of them had been conscious of the choice made, a choice that could bind them for life.

“I wanted to kill Hange,” Eren growled, voice raw and broken, “I wanted to rip them to shreds.”

The omega wanted to ask why he hadn't. Levi was grateful that no blood had been shed.

When Eren finally opened his eyes to look at Levi, they were like fire. Releasing his grip on Eren's hair, Levi's pale hand shook as he carefully tried to touch his face instead, the near blindness distressing him. It was difficult to control the fine muscles, but when he felt Eren's skin the warmth of him was familiar.

“Your eyes- Levi, are you in a haze?”

“I'm... here,” Levi managed to grit out with his unwilling mouth. He was still lying where Eren had pushed him and even if he had been able to force his body to move, he was too tired to. Lying side by side, Eren caressed Levi's cheek and the tumultuous anger that had been crushing through Levi ceased, instead he was filled with wonder. He could scent the rut on his alpha, the omega sensed it keenly, but somehow he retained his mind. Just like Levi.

“I thought I was going to lose my mind,” Eren whispered, the words sounding like they were forced out of his mouth, that just speaking them pained him, “when Hange said they tried to take you away from me.”

The thought burned in Levi and he wanted to swallow down the sounds of relief and sorrow, but the omega was not so reserved. It let out the keening whimper, low but unmistakable and Eren moved like an outside force controlled his body. Leaning over Levi, Eren peered closely into his near blind eyes, the glimmer of scarlet the only pinpoint Levi had to focus on.

“Did you think I would deny you?” Eren demanded, his voice crescendoed with suppressed anger. “Levi, I love you.”

Levi's heart felt like it was breaking into a thousand pieces because he couldn't deny the truth of it. Not here and not now. There were no boundaries between his mind and Eren's, between his emotions and Eren's. It had never been a choice they made when they were forced into a cell together, and yet a call they had both made must have been answered. When Eren then pulled off Levi's sweatpants he felt nothing but relief. They needed this closeness, both emotional and physical.

Eren wrenched off his own clothes without any heed to whether he was damaging them, but even that short distance felt too long for Levi. Finding the energy he had been lacking he sat up and grabbed Eren's arm, pulling him down again with uncanny strength. The desire corresponded both between Levi and the omega and his body obeyed.

With the world cast in darkness, Eren loomed like a spectre above him, his scent so familiar and overpowering, his touch a hundred times more acute. When his wet tongue trailed from Levi's collarbone to his nipple he had to clench his jaw to keep from crying out, every nerve in his body pinched tight. There was too much feeling, so much that it was bordering on painful. Levi arched his spine when Eren clamped down on the nipple with his teeth and he had to dig his claws into the mattress to find some anchor that wasn't Eren's own skin. He could dimly hear his own voice, strained and broken, even if he was unconscious of making it. There was little mercy to find in Eren's eyes where the red was still swirling- the rut barely kept in check.

When Eren easily lifted up Levi's legs to position himself all Levi could do was take a ragged breath. He wanted this so much but he didn't know if he could bear it, if he could take the onslaught of sensations and keep the omega from taking control again.

“Eren.” Levi's voice still sounded disjointed and fragmented in his own ears, like two voices were speaking at once. “Eren.”

Eren leaned over him and took a tight grip of Levi's hair with the other, forcing his head backwards before kissing him deeply. The torrent of emotions washed over Levi again, drowning him in love and lust, the need to own and be owned. It was enough to lift Levi's consciousness to the top, allowing him to fully feel the almost impossible breach as Eren entered him. It was exactly what he needed. What he wanted. When he had pushed in as far as he could, Eren broke the kiss but didn't let go of the punishing grip he had on Levi's hair, leaving his throat and jugular exposed. With the other hand he grasped Levi's leg to lift him up for better access. Like this Levi had the choice of closing his eyes or stare into Eren's, but the choice quickly drifted away. The red, swirling orbs bored into his skull, they were mesmerizing and drowned out everything but the feeling of Eren inside him.

Somewhere, someone was crying out, gasping, whimpering. It broke faintly through the darkness that extinguished everything but the light in front of him. Claws scraping at skin, teeth sinking into flesh, the pain set as a beautiful contrast to the pleasure that was threatening to have Levi lose his mind.

Tears clung to his eyelashes, blurring the visage in front of him into a wave of golden. Closing his eyes the tears ran hot down his cheeks, but when he opened them again he was staring into black orbs in a pale face, red lips parted in a silent pleading. The warmth engulfing him was deliciously tight and he pulled back only to forcefully push back in, eliciting yet another wonderful moan from the creature underneath him.

With a strained gasp leaving them both, the world tilted sideways and Levi's mind re-entered his own body that was nearly bent to its breaking point. With a growl, Eren wrenched Levi's head to the side and his jaws clamped down on the nape of his neck. Levi could feel how the teeth sank into his skin and tendons, ripping into him in a way that would leave a mark forever. The threads twisted around them in a bond that could not be broken, tightening until Levi believed he'd choke on it. There, hovering on the brink of life or death, pain and pleasure, he became unleashed together with Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How have you all been? I mean, considering...


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Levi was interrupted by the quick opening and shutting of the entrance door and the sound of two pairs of feet stamping in the hallway without taking their shoes off. The noise they were making was loud enough for even Eren to hear and they frowned at each other._
> 
> _“Hitch just called,” Armin rushed to say just as Mikasa demanded, “is Eren still here?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look at me getting my shit together and updating at a reasonable time. 
> 
> I have to admit it feels really, really good to be back in this world, though 🥺 These boys with their heads empty, no thoughts, just each other.

Voices filtered in through Levi's dreamless sleep and roused him slowly. At first he thought they were hushed, but then he realised they were coming from downstairs. His hearing was not as keen as it had been last night, but he'd never been able to hear a conversation through the heavy woodwork before.

“You look like shit,” Nana's undeniable dry tone cut through.

“I feel like shit too,” Hange replied, “you try living with an omega in heat and his alpha, I haven't slept a wink for two days, though it feels closer to two weeks.”

“So he's upstairs then?” Nana prodded, “and Eren is still with him?”

“Yeah, they've been quiet all morning, so I suppose at least _someone_ is finally getting some rest...” The high pitched note of a kettle on the boil interrupted their conversation.

Turning his attention away from the two betas downstairs, Levi gazed at Eren who was lying next to him, still sound asleep. They were lying across the breadth of the bed and Eren's long legs were on the floor. Bright sunshine poured in through the window and everything looked like it should- with a start Levi reached around and felt both appalled and unsurprised when he touched the tail. It was still there. Was it truly going to be permanent? His movements roused Eren out of his slumber and his green eyes were unfocused with sleep. Peering into Eren's eyes, Levi tried to determine if he was still in a rut. If he had been, Levi doubted they would be asleep and he remembered from their time in the Ackerman bunker that Eren had rallied uncommonly fast. Even with the missing hours, Levi had never met an alpha who could pull himself out of a rut like that. Leaning over him, Levi tried to discern by his scent and was met only with the ocean.

Sitting up with a groan, Levi tried to stretch his aching muscles, but they seized up and cramped immediately. Head swimming, mouth dry and head pounding, Levi decided he would never allow something like last night to happen again. If anyone had any more earthshattering revelations to rely to him, they could very well keep their mouths shut.

“G'morning, honey,” Eren murmured where he still lay splayed out across the bed like someone had shot him dead.

“Honey?” Levi echoed and his lip curled. Glaring at Eren he found him grinning up at him teasingly.

“Is sweetie better?” Eren goaded, “or maybe darling? I like that.”

“Shut your mouth.”

Levi struggled up and nearly crumbled to the floor. It would be embarrassing to crawl his way to the toilet, but if he didn't he'd be even more embarrassed when he inevitably pissed himself. Whatever, Eren could already see into his very soul so there really wasn't anything left to hide. He'd fallen asleep crying last night after all...

With single-minded purpose and determination, Levi made it just in time. As he was sitting there, forehead resting in his hands, he could feel a nearly imperceptible pull like a thread of spiderweb bound around his spine and neck.

“Stop it,” he growled at Eren who was still in the other room and the sensation stopped. Fucking hell.

“I just wanted to try,” Eren called back apologetically. “How is the tail coming along?” Levi gathered all his frustration at the bloody appendage and dipped it into the part of himself that he had now come to think of as Eren's. “Okay,” Eren affirmed from the other room, “let's not discuss it again.”

Levi sat chewing stale pizza as he stared out the window while Eren rummaged around in the bathroom. Downstairs Hange and Nana were discussing Erwin's state. Apparently it had been touch and go the past twenty four hours, but according to Nana then Erwin was the most stubborn asshole she had ever met, so she hadn't really been too afraid despite Mike's worry.

“No shitty little omega will get the better of him,” she muttered and Levi had to remind himself that she didn't know that he could hear her.

“That _shitty_ little omega and his alpha are our trump cards,” Hange reminded her sourly, “and if your information is correct then that is exactly what we need if we want this clan to survive.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Nana sighed, “I'm just pissed my thesis didn't pull through.”

“Most of it did,” Hange protested, “you just didn't see them together like I did.”

Levi wondered if the enhanced hearing and tail would stay with him or if it was just remnants from his heat. He gave a soft prayer to the deities no one believed in that they would disappear.

“I don't think I am ready to go down yet,” Eren admitted. He stood naked in the doorway, drying his long hair with a towel and Levi quietly thought that the only place they needed to go was back to the bed.

“Nana is here,” Levi informed him instead. He was pretty certain Eren could feel his desire anyway, so there was no point in voicing it.

“Is she?” Eren groaned and he sagged against the door frame. “After yesterday I just want to be alone.”

Alone meant with Levi now, he knew.

Busy trying to pry the disgusting, cold mushrooms off his pizza, Levi could still sense as much as he could hear Eren crossing the room. The kisses were insisted and far from soft, starting at the top of Levi's head and smacking all across his face until they landed on his lips. There was still the insistent flickers of heat in his stomach, but mostly it just felt good the way the soft splashes of Eren's emotions lapped against him.

“I'll steal a shirt from Hange for you,” Levi said once Eren finally gave him room to breathe. “Then I suppose we have to get downstairs.”

“Why?” Eren sighed dramatically, “can't we just, I dunno, hole up for a few more days? Don't we have the right as newly bonded or whatever?”

The word made Levi shiver and he hurried to get up from the chair. He'd spent some of the morning trying to learn how to control the tail rather than just quietly curse at it, but he hadn't made all that much progress yet. It trailed after him as he crossed the corridor and entered Hange's messy bedroom.

“Are they going to stay in bed the entire day?” Nana questioned in an echo of Eren's wish.

“Give them some time, Levi just left his heat and then... everything,” Hange replied. They sounded preoccupied with something. “Besides, Eren nearly crushed my skull in so I wouldn't mind giving them more time to cool off.”

“What, why?” Nana barked in surprise.

“I may, or may not, have told them that we were planning on breaking the forming of their bond-”

“You did _what_?” Nana groaned, “for being so smart you're really fucking dumb sometimes.”

“Well, I'm just glad our plan didn't work,” Hange snapped back.

“Oh, really? So you're fine with what is happening to Erwin then?” Nana's voice sounded ugly, strained. “Where does your loyalties even lie, Hange?”

“With the clan, where else?” Hange shot back, loud enough that Levi would have heard it regardless. “Levi and Eren belongs to this clan, too, last time I checked!”

“Calm down!” Nana barked, though she didn't sound in the least bit calm herself. Levi grabbed the cleanest shirt he could find that didn't have Hawaiian flower prints and moved back to Eren as quickly as his sore limbs could carry him.

Eren hadn't gotten much further in his endeavour to get dressed, still sitting naked on the bed leafing through his old comics and chewing on the last of the pizza Levi couldn't stomach.

“They're losing it downstairs,” Levi quipped and threw the shirt at Eren, “I think something more is going on.”

“Even more?” Eren groaned, putting the comic down much slower than Levi's lack of patience allowed. “Whatever it is, they can deal with it themselves.”

Even if Levi shared the sentiment he was feeling skittish after what he'd heard. Erwin out of comission and with the clan possibly compromised? Perhaps they were being hyperbolic, betas tended to stretch any scenario to its limits. Disregarding the shirt entirely, Eren grabbed Levi's arm and pulled him down to lie with him on the bed instead. Pinching Levi's ear gently, he rolled the jewlry around between his fingers.

“You never did tell me who gave you the earrings,” Eren reminded him. He obviously had no intention to budge from the bed. Levi sighed, but gave in easily. Lying there in Eren's arms was an infinitely more tempting scenario than going downstairs to Hange and Nana's argument.

Pointing at the middle ring of his right ear, Levi revealed, “this is my first one and Kuchel gave it to me when I was five. She told me it used to belong to her mother. This one-” Levi pointed at the one right underneath it, “-I got from Kenny the day I joined the Ackerman clan. The two others are from Isabel and Furlan, while these-” Levi indicated the earrings on his other ear, “-are all taken from omega who died on the Ackerman turf.”

The earrings were a tradition the _no dyms_ had yet to take from them. Every omega Levi knew had at least a couple of earrings. The only exception had been Isabel, who had been too young to earn one when he met her and Levi had been the one to gift her the ring, a prize for her first kill which had been a giant alpha easily three times her size.

“I want to meet Furlan and Isabel,” Eren mused as he fiddled with the jewellery.

“Maybe you'll get to one day-”

Levi was interrupted by the quick opening and shutting of the entrance door and the sound of two pairs of feet stamping in the hallway without taking their shoes off. The noise they were making was loud enough for even Eren to hear and they frowned at each other.

“Hitch just called,” Armin rushed to say just as Mikasa demanded, “is Eren still here?”

“What do you mean, Hitch called?” Nana inquired, there was still heat in her voice after the argument.

“Eren is upstairs, but you really shouldn't go-” Hange began to caution, but apparently to deaf ears because the patter of feet jogging up the stairs immediately followed. Suddenly Eren was in a lot of hurry to get dressed.

The steps stopped right outside their door and Levi looked up to find Mikasa with Armin hot on her heels. Watching their faces transform from hurried urgency to one of repulsed fear on Armin and shock on Mikasa's would have been funny if Levi had energy left in him to find any of this humorous. A snap of territorial anger shot through him like a whip and he reacted on it at the exact same moment as Eren, the both of them shooting up from bed with claws at the ready. Mikasa put a protective hand over Armin's chest as they both took a step back from the door. Their small act of supplication was enough for Levi's hackles to ease, though he could still feel some of Eren's coiling anger. These were his friends, so why the aggression?

Taking another step towards the betas, Levi's tail snapped with a sharp swish in communication of his pent up frustration. Armin's shocked eyes moved from Eren's hostility, to Levi's answer to it in his body language and further down to the tail and his mouth fell open.

“We'll come down when we're ready,” Levi barked, his jaw tight and his muscles ready for a fight. They really needed to find a way to put a lid on the connection or then Eren had to learn how to surpress his emotional reactions. Armin didn't have to be asked twice though, turning around and disappearing down the stairs again at an admirable speed. Mikasa remained in the doorway, her dark eyes appearing nearly black as she stared unflinchingly at Eren. Whatever went between them was silent and all Levi could glean of it was Eren's sense of unease. After what felt like an age, Mikasa finally turned around and walked away, her footsteps heavy like she had to fight them every step.

“You really need to pull yourself together,” Levi sighed when the tension finally eased up.

“Mikasa has never been a problem before,” Eren mumbled, “she nearly scared the shit out of me.”

Such an admission surprised Levi who turned to regard Eren with a tilt of his head. He could still hear the voices from downstairs which were sounding urgent, but he was unable to differentiate any particular words. So his keen senses were already diminishing. He hoped the tail would go with them. Eren was busy buttoning up Hange's shirt, his fangs extended like they had been for quite some time. They were both on edge, had been nearly since they arrived at the Smith's turf together, and now it made a whole lot more sense. Newly bonded but with people stepping in between them at every chance they got. It was a wonder they hadn't ripped the entire place apart.

Done getting dressed, Eren grabbed a tight hold of the back of Levi's head to give him a forceful kiss, their teeth clashing together and splitting Levi's bottom lip. As he licked the wound and tasted the blood he could feel it already closing. Trailing after Eren's heavy strides, Levi found it easier to descend the stairs than he had assumed, his body already growing accustomed to the added weight.

The betas' voices were growing louder and more urgent and when they entered the kitchen, Levi found the lot of them in an agitated state. Hange was pacing around the room while Nana and Armin stood staring at the screen of a laptop, the latter chewing insistently on his nails. Mikasa appeared to be the only one of them unfazed, sitting quietly on a chair and staring out the window.

“What the fuck is so important we had to come down?” Levi asked the group while Eren leaned up against the door frame and crossed his arms not wanting to enter the room at all. Hange whirled around to look at them, their glasses askew and hair wilder than usual. It really did look like they hadn't slept in a couple of days and Levi would have felt bad if there hadn't been the overwhelming need to hurt them. _Shut up Eren_ , he mentally berated his alpha before stepping into the chaos.

Nana looked up from the laptop with a deep scowl on her face and Levi barely managed to keep from giving her the finger. Not his fucking fault that Erwin tried and failed to get to him. Maybe next time he shouldn't be so god damned convoluted.

“There's been further altercations between the Reiss clan and the Dok clan,” Armin informed them when no one else seemed capable of speaking up. “And it is really serious.”

Armin turned the laptop around so that Levi could see for himself what was happening. The images that flashed before him brought chills down his spine. There were the unmistakable silhouettes of alphas fighting outside the perimeters of a clan turf. The scrolling text underneath the footage informed him that it was the Dok clan under siege. Under fucking siege, there were no other ways to look at it, and the _no dyms_ seemed disinclined to stop it.

“Why aren't the _no dyms_ moving in?” Levi asked and looked up at Hange who usually would go on a tangent to explain. Now their hands were shaking as they pulled at their hair, face gaunt and lips thin. Nana and Armin seemed likewise affected and Levi belatedly remembered how their own clans were annihilated in the Clan Wars. The images on the laptop were too graphic and reminiscent of their own memories for them to keep their cool. When Reiss had attacked the Nick clan all that had been shown was some burning buildings, now there was the clear footage of raging alphas in a siege.

Something more was going on indeed.

Watching the clip and reading the text with the sound muted, Levi tried to gather the Intel he needed to put it all together. The Reiss clan had moved against the Dok clan earlier that morning, citing the abduction of omegas as the reason for retaliation. A spokesperson claiming to be an expert on internal dynamic politics explained how this was something they would have to let play out, since the ownership of omegas was extremely personal to each clan. Sneering, Levi barely managed to keep himself from breaking the screen. This was obviously about more than some stolen omegas, which Levi doubted was true, considering how Reiss had already subjugated another clan only a few days ago. They were going for the win, going for the top dog. It was plain to see for any dynamic.

“Eren, come and look at this,” Levi demanded with a wave of his hand. With stilted movements, Eren did as he was asked and moved into the room. The reaction from everyone at his presence was immediate and Hange jumped back as far as they could. No wonder, considering how Eren had been all too close to killing them yesterday.

Eren's bright eyes skimmed the images, his hands on his hips as he tried to take in all the information he could.

“Bullshit,” was his eventual verdict, echoing Levi's own conclusion. “Reiss is trying to push for another war and the _no dyms_ are letting him, stupid pieces of shit.”

There they were, at the brink of another war, though if Reiss had the support of the _no dym_ government it might mean that only dynamics would feel the ramifications this time. There was no way the _no dyms_ hadn't prepared for this eventuality, so their lack of reaction had to be a carefully planned strategy.

“Hitch called not long ago since Nile couldn't get through to Erwin,” Armin explained, his voice strained. At Eren's questioning look he hurried to explain, “Hitch and I went to premed together, so she has my number.”

“They're members of the Dok clan then,” Levi surmised, “and they're asking for help from the other clan nearly as powerful as Reiss. Bastards.”

“If we intervene now then we'll be unable to retract ourselves from an eventual clash,” Mikasa sighed, finally joining their discussion. “And if Dok loses, Reiss will have the strength of three clans to bear against us.”

“But if we don't intervene now then Reiss will continue to subjugate clans until they feel ready to go for us,” Armin countered, “our best bet is to push them back now with the help of the Dok clan.”

“And all of this is happening while Erwin is out of commission,” Hange groaned, leaning against the kitchen counter, “what the fuck am I supposed to do?”

It was an impossible choice to make. Levi looked around at the betas in the room, the cleverest in their clan, trying to find a strategy that would weaken the Reiss clan but strengthen the Smith clan. For Levi the answer seemed obvious.

“I'll take them out.” Levi doubted he could go up against the entirety of the Reiss clan on his own, but he felt confident that he'd be able to cause enough havoc that they would be forced to retreat in order to re-group. At least long enough for the Dok clan to revise a plan and Erwin to get out of the gutter that was his mind and pull the Smith clan together. Hange stared at him with a mix of disbelief and frustration, but it quickly melted into something calculating, ignoring the protests from the others in the room.

“It would be the perfect time to see what you're made of,” Hange speculated and stood up tall, crossing their arms, “and risking one life for the sake of an entire clan is a fair trade.”

Levi hadn't expected the callous calculation from Hange, but it was an easy statement to agree on. Slamming the laptop shut and unhooking it from the charger, Hange used their long legs to stride out of the room and towards their office without a backwards glance. Now that they had a goal the uncertainty and fear had been shed like a cloak.

“Hurry and clean up,” Hange barked, “we'll gather as much intel as we can and then you're off. You'll be taking Eren and Mikasa with you.”

Levi ignored the discomforting feeling of his tail pulling at his balance as he stalked after Hange through the house. Taking Eren he could understand to a certain degree, but Mikasa?

“Why her?” he prodded, “she'll just be one more incompetent asshat to take care of.”

“Mikasa is our best alpha fighter,” Hange threw over their shoulder while typing on their phone at the same time, laptop under the other arm. Levi could hear the dial tone calling up someone, but the consequent conversation was lost on him as he tried to put two and two together.

Turning back with his brow drawn into a frown, he was met by Nana and Armin who were likewise staring at him in turn. Nana's aggression had not waned even as her scrutinizing gaze never left Levi's tail. Did she feel something had been taken from the clan by Levi not bonding with the clan alpha? Probably. He might have felt the same if the tables were turned, but there was nothing they could do about that now.

“Don't you have a fucking job to do?” Levi hissed at the betas as he stalked past them and back into the kitchen. He needed to look at Mikasa again because Hange's words made no sense to him.

In the kitchen he found Eren reclining on a chair, long legs thrown out and a discontent expression on his face. Mikasa on her part seemed undisturbed by his attitude and had gone back to staring out the window. Focusing again, Levi could still not sense anything that would immediately make her stand out as an alpha. And while omegas could sometimes go under the radar he had never experienced an alpha that could disguise their scent or inherent aggression.

Pulling on the energy burning from Eren, Levi shifted towards Mikasa in a few quick movements and growled into her ear. Her reaction was instantaneous, slamming her arm into Levi's chest and if Levi hadn't been able to twist out of in time, she would have crushed him straight into the wall. The tail curled on instinct and to Levi's great surprise he found it easier to land on his feet.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Mikasa growled, pulling her arm back from the dent she had made in the wall.

Eren was half way out of his chair, but Levi couldn't help noting that his reaction was not as quick as when Mike had interfered with Levi.

“You're an alpha,” Levi noted unnecessarily, “I thought you were a beta.”

Mikasa merely shrugged, communicating silently that it was Levi's problem, not hers. And while that was true, Levi couldn't help but feel tricked in some way. He would never have let his guard down around an alpha the way he had around Mikasa. Where did she learn to suppress herself in such a way? The explanation was probably right in front of him and easy to see, but he still felt sluggish after the past week. Then it came to him; of course, she was an Ackerman so it would make sense for her to have some of the Old Blood that Hange kept prattling about. This just meant it transpired differently in alphas and Mikasa had managed to keep it under lock and key, unlike Levi who had shown it off at every chance he got. Clever.

With a ' _tsk_ ' of distaste, Levi decided to do as Hange had ordered and get himself properly cleaned up. He couldn't go into a siege stinking of alpha and omega in heat.

“Are you even fit to fight?” Eren inquired as he shut the bathroom door behind himself. He started undressing without waiting for an answer and stepped into the small shower with Levi. Hadn't he just fucking showered, what was he doing bothering Levi now? Eren's size squeezed Levi up against the wall until he pushed hard enough at the alpha to get him to move. Instead of answering his question, Levi found that contact between them and pulled on it, his heart slamming in his chest with the sudden onslaught of new energy pouring through him.

“That's gonna give me a headache,” Eren complained, but he gave Levi a brilliant smile regardless.

“I don't trust you in a fight, so the best support you can be for me is as a moving battery,” Levi grumbled, dodging one of Eren's elbows as he soaped up his hair.

“I can fight, remember?” Eren muttered insulted, his eyes shut against the pelting water and a pout on his beautiful lips. Levi wouldn't forget the crushed spine of his own clan member any time soon, but that had been a different circumstance. Traute and her cronies had not expected a fight, but going against a concentrated attack with alphas especially trained for this was a different beast entirely. There would be thick clouds of aggressive pheromones in the air and Levi was wary of what it might do to Eren who was already so easy to rile up. Fuck this.

Grabbing Eren's hair, Levi pulled him down to himself and growled into his face, “if you fucking die I will kill you, you asshat.”

Eren merely smiled like he'd been given the sweetest of love confessions and kissed Levi on the lips. Softer this time.

While Nana, Armin and Hange sat hunched over each their laptop, typing away at rapid speed and talking amongst themselves in a lingo Levi couldn't possibly follow, Mikasa headed down to their house to collect clothes for Eren and herself. Levi was already dressed in a black hoodie, t-shirt and a pair of sweats that they had hastily made to accommodate his tail. Downing a smoothie filled with nutrients to keep his electrolytes up, he watched Eren sitting in the sofa trying to figure out the mechanisms of Nana's gun. Eventually Levi took it from him and handed him a knife instead.

“The most important thing is that you don't enter a raged induced rut,” Levi warned him. While it would have Eren's fighting power increasing by a tenfold, it would also make him erratic and take from him what little control he had. Exactly how the Ackermans managed to capture him in the first place.

Watching the scenes of the attack on the Dok clan unfold in real time on television, Levi took the time to stretch out properly. His tail was still a problem, though he was slowly getting used to it. There had to be a reason why he had it beyond some ridiculous, fucking “old blood” theory. Levi frowned as he thought. What did tails usually do? It let the animal owning it jump great distances with better balance and control. And if Levi was anything, then it was a jumping animal. Small of stature, his agility and mobility was key. Surprise attacks and speed. If he was cursed with this fucking abnormality he might as well get something out of it.

Climbing up on the armrest of the couch, Levi tried to see how it all translated. After just a few jumps he had already learned that the appendage moved to catch his balance, but it was easier if he just trusted his body to know what it was doing. Much like his ears would twitch to pick up sound, or his eyes blink to protect them from harm.

When Mikasa returned with Eren's clothes he motioned for her to come over. “Spar with me,” he demanded, “I need a proper challenge.”

With a nod she agreed and they proceeded to move the furniture out of the way. The sun was setting and the betas had informed them that they would use the cover of dark to move in. They didn't have much time to prepare.

“Don't hold back,” Levi insisted and again Mikasa gave him a silent nod in reply. In the next moment she was right upon him and crushing him down into the floor. Swiftly, Levi flashed a claw across her face, taking her by surprise that he'd use such a dirty trick and she recoiled back. It was all he needed to roll away from underneath her and jump up on his feet again. Eren's earlier energy was still surging through him, giving him the strength to meet Mikasa's next move. Hange wasn't shitting when they said she was a good fighter. The blow she landed on his ribcage would have crushed it if he hadn't been able to jump back and onto the coffee table. With a swift kick he was gratified when Mikasa moved to block it, giving him an opening to return the blow to the side of her head. The impact merely had her growl in frustration, not even unsettling her stance.

They met each other blow for blow and only Levi's agility and familiarity with fighting was giving him the advantage needed to not be absolutely annihilated. The tide of the fight changed when Mikasa grabbed Levi's leg and threw him into the wall. Taking the brunt of the hit with his shoulder, Levi dug his claws into the plaster and climbed up the wall and out of her reach. Using the wall and roof to brace on, he flung himself with all the force he could muster through the air, his tail balancing him to a point point and he slammed into Mikasa hard enough that they crashed through the room. The momentum had them topple into the shelves on the opposite wall, crushing the furniture and the items that were on them.

“Okay, enough!” Hange's voice broke through the din of their fight, “stop ruining my house.”

They were both bruised and sore, blood dripped from Mikasa's nose as well as from a nasty gash on Levi's forehead. He was pretty certain he had managed to sprain two of his fingers and Mikasa was limping on her right foot.

“You idiots are getting yourself hurt even before the proper fight,” Nana complained, but Levi could already feel the cut on his forehead grow and knew Mikasa was experiencing the same.

The flow of blood in his body slowed down and there were flashes of light before his eyes. The healing was taking more of his energy than he'd anticipated and Levi realised he'd have to pull it from Eren more frequently. Exhausted, he fell down into the couch to catch his breath. Hange gave him a worried frown, but then shook their head and turned away, intent on their earlier assessment that he would be a worthwhile sacrifice. Well, Levi wasn't much worried for his own safety, but he was still annoyed that he had to act as a babysitter for Eren and Mikasa.

Mikasa might just have shown him some real prowess in hand to hand combat, but how many turf wars had she ever fought it? How many alphas had she ever fought and killed? And Eren... Levi knew he'd be losing himself in his rage. Massaging his scalp, Levi tried to will away the blinding headache that was thrumming through his skull.

“Nile, this is Hange,” Hange's voice drifted in from the hallway, “I was just going to inform you that we got your message and to give you a heads up that we're moving in- no, you cannot talk to Erwin... Bye.”

Levi could feel Eren hoovering out in the kitchen and got up to snatch some more of that delicious energy of his. It left an aftertaste in Levi's throat as it tingled through his body, reminding him of Eren himself.

“What the fuck happened to your face?” Eren growled, grabbing Levi's chin and turning his head up to get a better look at it. The physical contact made it easier for Levi to find Eren in himself and he plucked at the strings. The omega was urging him to gorge on that power but Levi had enough self control now to keep it in check. Greedy fucker. Licking his lips, Levi pulled away from Eren and could feel the rest of the wounds in his body healing themselves at a speed that was nearly painful.

“You didn't hear Mikasa and I fight?” Levi questioned surprised, even if Eren hadn't heard it, he must have felt it.

“I didn't think she had the guts to actually hurt you,” Eren hissed and the indignation shone around him like a halo, making the betas take an unconscious step away from him.

“Ugh, get over yourself,” Mikasa groaned in exasperation and strode past them and out into the balmy night. It was fully dark now and it was time to move.

“Don't question me, alpha,” Levi muttered as he followed Mikasa outside and onto the pavement. There stood parked a large, black SUV with Mike leaning up against the side. He better not be coming to the fight, Levi thought sourly, he really did not trust the alpha at his back. Besides, Eren would throw a fit.

As on cue, Mike's entire posture changed when Levi felt Eren's presence closing in on them from behind. Striding past them and right up into Mike's face, Eren stood unflinching and glared up at the alpha that could probably crush him without breaking a sweat. But Eren had something else now that gave him a strength none of the other alphas had. Levi could feel the thrum between them keener than ever with the will to fight, and if Eren attacked he'd be forced to follow. But they really didn't have the time for Eren to stake out his territory now. And especially not against someone who was already enraged and indignant because this uppity little alpha had taken an omega right under the nose of his Clan Alpha.

“Move,” Levi insisted, grabbing a hold of the door handle and opening it with so much force that it smacked right into the two alphas. It was enough to break the stare down, though Eren had enough guts to give Mike one last withering glare before climbing into the car. The last one in was Mikasa, who shut the door behind them and buckled up her seatbelt. After a moment they were joined by Hange in the driver's seat and Armin in the passenger seat.

“Armin is coming too?” Eren asked surprised, eyebrows pulled into a frown and Mikasa looked likewise uneasy. Hange started the car without answering and began navigating them down the street, past the deceptively quiet houses and immaculate lawns.

“I'm here to feed you intelligence,” Armin supplied, opening the laptop he had brought along. “Hange and I will monitor your positions on site while Nana will be our home base, briefing us on the progress of the siege and any support we might get from the Dok clan.” The sweet nature of the beta had been replaced by single minded purpose and Levi's respect for him rose.

While they waited for the gates to open to let them through, Armin handed Mikasa a black backpack.

“You'll find your intercom headset in there,” Armin informed them, “put them on and never take them off unless you're captured, at which point discard them immediately- we're not supposed to have this tech.”

Mikasa dutifully pulled out three small pouches, each with the promised intercoms. How prepared had they been for this? Levi reassessed all his previous misconceptions about the Smith clan as he untagled the wires and put the plugs into his ears, fastening the clamps so they would stay in place. There was one more strap and Armin indicated that they were to tighten it around their necks.

“They're GPS trackers,” Armin explained and pointed at his laptop where they could see three red dots pulsing on a bird view of Trost. “I hacked into the broadcast satellite to get our positions and since the collars also monitor heart rate it will inform me if you die.”

“How fucking reassuring,” Levi snapped, but he was thoroughly impressed.

“We will drop you off at the south side of Dok's perimeters where there is little to no fighting going on.” Armin pulled up a different map, this one a close up of the Dok's perimeter. “They've already breached the north side, so your job will be to create enough noise to divert their attention, allowing for the Doks to push them back.” Looking up, Armin made sure they were all following. “You'll also find dynamite in the backpack- you only need to twist the end for it to light and then you have twenty seconds to throw it away from yourself. The blast radius is five meters, don't forget. Figure out who should carry the bag.”

There was no need to really discuss it, both Eren and Levi looked over at Mikasa who shrugged.

Coughing, Armin was apparently not done filling their heads with new info. “Hange and I will be stationed here-” he pointed at a building at the north side before moving his finger to another building on the east side, “-and here.”

The streets outside were eerily quiet. Levi would have expected the wails of sirens, anything really, to indicate that an entire clan was on the brink of extinction. But to the _no dyms_ it was just entertainment on the television for an evening. Maybe there'd be some articles discussing it in the paper tomorrow at the most. Levi had no love for Kenny, but right then he found himself grateful for the years of combat training and he wished he had his clan to back him up. They'd make short work of Reiss' pack of alphas. How was Kenny taking all this, how had he prepared for an eventual attack without his next in command and Levi? He worried about Furlan and Isabel. They were amazing fighters both, but how would they repel a clan that had already subjugated two other clans? Levi needed to focus. Pushing away the nattering of thoughts in his mind there was only one option left for Levi at the end of this night. The stakes were much bigger than the Dok clan and Levi would fight until his dying breath before anyone got their clammy hands on either of his friends.

Mikasa and Eren were calm next to Levi, Mikasa staring out at the city flashing by and Eren tying his hair up to get it out of his face, both looking for all the world like they were just being driven to an appointment or a meeting. Hange navigated down a small backstreet that could barely accommodate the big SUV and swung into an abandoned lot where they turned off the ignition. Mikasa, Eren and Levi all pulled up their hoods and climbed out and into the stifling heat of the night. Even with the sun down Levi could feel the beginning of perspiration on his back. Not good. Here Mikasa had an overwhelming upper hand in that she was nearly scentless. Eren and Levi were an entirely different story.

Opening the compartment, Hange extracted a canvas which they pulled over the car with the help of Armin. From where they stood they could hear the faint sounds of shouting, shots being fired and blasts going off.

“If we're not supposed to have dynamite and guns,” Mikasa said, “then how come the Reiss' clan gets to have them?”

“Well, the answer to that is becoming more and more obvious, isn't it,” Hange replied, pushing their glasses further up their nose before hefting their briefcase. Armin had one just like it, probably full of whatever surveillance gear they need to pull this off.

They walked together a short distance until they were almost upon the Dok perimeter. Flashes could be seen in the darkness and black smoke billowed up into the sky in several places. The stillness inside Levi was only broken by Eren's impatience pressing into him, the need he had to be in the action, the desire to feel breaking bones between his teeth. Eren's eyes were glowing underneath his hood and they swivelled down to stare into Levi's own, a wicked smile curling his lips to reveal extended fangs. Levi merely raised an eyebrow at him, but he knew Eren could feel how the remnant of heat was burning in him.

“Remember you're here to create a _diversion_ ,” Hange whispered, “not to try and single handedly save the Dok clan.”

Levi didn't bother to answer. It was obviously meant for Eren.

Without a backwards glance they crossed the dead street and melded in with the shadows of the wall. Levi could smell the scent of raging alphas all the way from the south side and his scales quickly extended from his spine to cover his arms and neck.

“Ready?” he asked the darkness. When he received an affirmative from both alphas he began the move towards the quickly escalating fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading as always! ❤️❤️ 
> 
> Only three more chapters and then we're done with part I: Gasoline. It's been a ride! Though part II is heavier I guess, depends how you look at it 😂

**Author's Note:**

> Stay healthy everyone <3


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